Best Served Cold
by Loopy777
Summary: For want of a nail, Azula and Sokka meet as children and discover some strange similarities. But will revenge, racism, and self-hatred keep them from becoming friends, and possibly more? A tale of emotion and suspense of which Romeo and Juliet wish they were worthy.
1. Young Love, Part 1

_WRITTEN FOR THE WHITE LOTUS EXCHANGE ON LJ/AO3. SPECIAL THANKS TO MY BETAS, LAVANYA SIX AND PHTHALO BLUE, FOR PROOFREADING AND STORY DEVELOPMENT._

_._

Young Love, Part 1

In the Water Tribes, he was known as Azulon the Scourge.

After years of prosecuting the war against the Earth Kingdom, the aging Azulon considered his ongoing lack of victory and turned his mind to the matter of legacies. He discovered worry that the Avatar- lost to the world since the days of Sozin- might have died and been reborn in accordance with the cycle. Thus, he began two additional campaigns: one against the Northern Tribe and one against the Southern. Every Waterbender at the South Pole was either captured or killed, and while the Tribe at the North Pole was able to fight off the same fate, the Fire Navy had bottled it up into a single walled city.

In the Fire Nation, he was known as Fire Lord Azulon.

Most people could not remember there ever being another Fire Lord. Sozin had died soon after Azulon's birth, and the boy had grown up handling the pressures of both the war and the crown with stunning ease. While a Firebending prodigy, his passions laid in administration and mathematics, enabling him to effectively lead the Fire Nation with all its societal contrasts, and even advance it along his father's vision. Even as his sons grew up and into their own, Azulon never weakened, never let his age affect him. With his hair and skin both bone white, he was just as strong and aggressive as the day he was declared a Man.

In the Princess Azula's mind, he was just Grandfather, the old man who was in Uncle Iroh and Dad's way of inheriting the crown.

She wasn't the only one who made that mistake.

* * *

The first impression Azula had of her new home was Gray. The clouds above were gray, the sea was gray, the sands were gray, and the village itself was gray. She didn't even know that wood came in grays; perhaps villagers in the Northern Earth Kingdom painted their houses that way on purpose? But who would want to live in an ugly gray shack?

Who would want to live in a shack, whatever the color?

What was left of her family was standing at the ship's rail with her. Mom squeezed both children and said, "Well, I think it looks quaint." Zuko and Azula, in turn, exchanged grimaces. 'Quaint' was not a word that translated into being fit for Royalty in any way.

Suddenly, Azula realized she might not be Royalty anymore. She was born with Royal blood, but if she were still Royalty, why would she have had to leave the palace? And anyway, it was _Dad_ she inherited her Royal lineage from, and now Dad was...

Azula stopped thinking about it and focused on the village. "It looks dirty and infested with _peasants_."

"Now, Azula-"

"No!" Azula turned to glare up at her mother. "Stop _lying_. You don't like it any better than I do. It's an ugly, backwards little infestation, and nothing like home."

Mom met her gaze calmly. "No, it's nothing like home. And... you're right, I don't like this place. But it's safe, and so I'm going to accept it, and do my best to like it. A Princess accepts difficulty with honor."

Zuko shuffled, ignored by both mother and daughter, but not willing to leave their company. He was weak like that, and, even though she was younger, Azula was much stronger. Still, she also knew how to strategize. Sniffing disdainfully, Azula turned away from her mother and leaned on the rail again. The ship was much closer to the shore now, but she couldn't see a dock. Was the boat just going to slide right up on the sand?

Behind her, Zuko finally piped up. "What kinds of people are going to be there? Are they nice?"

Azula rolled her eyes, but no one saw. Mom moved to put her arms around her young son and said, "They won't hurt us. They're friends of the nice swordsman who helped us leave the Fire Nation. They're people like us, who need a special place where they can be safe."

Azula decided right then that she didn't care about being safe. She'd prefer to have her Dad back.

* * *

The boat _did_ just beach itself on the sands, but at least they put out a ramp made of tied-together logs so that Azula and her family could disembark without getting their feet wet. That told Azula that these people weren't familiar with Firebenders because anyone worth their Bending could generate enough heat to quickly dry off. (Of course, Zuzu couldn't yet.) Perhaps the villagers expected Azula and her family to be dressed better? Their clothes weren't poor in quality, but they were a far cry from the silks and armors that the Royal Family was entitled to. Still, at least the peasants had the politeness to come out and meet the new arrivals. Azula wished she had her crown so that she could receive her new subjects properly, but a Princess accepts difficulty with honor. She stood straight and traversed the sands regally as she approached the gathered crowd.

The people wore a mix of colors. Most favored green, and there was a scattering of blue, but a significant portion of the crowd wore grays. The old woman in the lead wore a tunic of faded purple, but she was unique in that respect. The two children of similar skin-tone who trailed immediately after her just wore blue.

Azula looked at them and waited for them to bow.

Then Mom bent at the waist while spreading her hands out humbly, and Azula felt her own jaw drop. Mom straightened and said, "Thank you for sheltering us. We are honored by your kindness, and vow to honor in turn the multinational harmony of the village you have built here."

Zuko hastily bowed, but Azula just crossed her arms and scowled; she was _not_ bowing to peasants, and she didn't care who had a problem with that.

The old woman just nodded at them. "You are welcome. My name is Kanna. My son Hakoda leads this village, but he is away. Chey will show you your house and let you know about your share of the chores. Mind your children." Then she turned and started shuffling away, the rest of the crowd moving with her.

Azula looked up at her mother, wondering if that was as insulting as she thought. "Mom, the peasants didn't seem very welcoming. I thought we were safe here." Mom was blinking with surprise, and Azula knew she was right.

"We _are_ safe. And welcome, like Elder Kanna said." Mom closed her eyes and sighed. "We'll just have to work to make friends, is all. You're good at making friends, so that shouldn't be too much of a challenge for you."

Azula smiled. That was true, she was very good at making friends. Back at the Royal Academy for Girls, she found Mai and Ty Lee, the best girls in the entire school, and made them her friends. (_she didn't miss them she didn't miss them_) Azula glanced over at Zuko, and was pleased to see him looking glummer than usual; he didn't have any friends. Ever. "Don't worry, _Zuzu_. After I make friends with the smartest, most fun kids around, I'll catch you a Water Tribe barbarian whom you can play games with."

Azula grinned at Zuko's blushing scowl, and ignored her mother's lecture about how 'barbarian' was now a bad word.

* * *

It turned out that the two blue-clad kids who trailed after Old Woman Kanna were the only kids in the village, besides Azula and Zuko now. This was less than pleasing, but Mom had challenged Azula, so she couldn't back down. The elder was a boy and the younger a girl, so they would make a perfect pair of friends for Zuko and Azula. Hopefully, they would have some useful skills; friends were fun, but they were also tools, and had to be taken care of like good tools.

As soon as the ugly Chey man showed them their house (another horrid gray shack), the young Princess snuck off to explore and stalk her friendship prospects. She would do better without Zuzu tagging along, and if Mom knew what she was planning, there would just be another lecture about not calling people 'peasants' anymore.

Friendship, in Azula's experience, started with observation.

The village itself wasn't terribly busy, but everyone was occupied with some rustic task or another. Azula was fascinated by one man who was cutting up some dead animal, but she could always learn more about that later. Others were carving things, or building things, or repairing some shack or another. It was all so silly. They should just have found some servants and forced them to do all that work. Maybe if they did, they could build some real houses and not have to live in ugly gray shacks.

She didn't find the Water Tribe kids until she got to the other side of the village, right along the beach. The girl was dancing or something at the surf's edge, while the boy sat on the sand and watched her. Then Azula realized that the water in front of the girl wasn't moving with the other waves. It was rising and falling of its own accord. In time with the girl's movements.

_Waterbender._

Intriguing. Grandfather had ordered all the Waterbenders killed.

Azula watched for a while, crouched behind some tall grasses. The girl didn't seem to know many moves, being content to just influence the size and lapping of the waves in front of her, but she kept at it with a diligence that Azula could respect. The boy just lazed about, chewing something while he alternated between watching his sister and chattering at the edge of Azula's hearing. Perhaps he was the village idiot. Azula read about village idiots in her old storybooks.

The young Princess decided it was time to act on the intelligence she had gathered. She put on a nice smile and walked out to approach the other kids. "Hello! I'm Pr- um, Azula. Today, you have been graced by fate, chosen to be my companions. What are your names?" Both children turned to stare at her. The Waterbender froze up completely, and the water around her flattened. Azula bit back a sigh. Perhaps they were Simple. "I. Said. I'm. Azula. Who. Are. You?"

The boy stood up. "Gran-Gran said you're from the Fire Nation. Is that true?" He leaned forward, feet spread apart with hands held out from his body, and stared at Azula with narrowed eyes. It was a typical attack stance.

Ah, so they weren't simple. They were intimidated by her greatness. That was good; Azula could definitely work with that. Snapping a hand up like a magician making confetti explode out of thin air, she summoned a ball of beautiful orange flame in her palm and said with all due authority, "I am a Child of Fire, born to bring light to a dark world."

The Waterbender girl shrieked like an injured messenger hawk and ran away.

The boy pulled a bone knife of some kind from his belt and pointed it right at Azula. "Stay back! I won't let you hurt my sister!"

Azula blinked several times, trying to decide what to do. She didn't think she had done anything overly aggressive, and she considered herself an expert on aggressive actions. Perhaps these kids had never seen a Firebender before? She supposed that might be scary. But what to do about that? Finally, she found an option that experience told her was most likely to diffuse whatever this strange situation was. "Truce!" She lowered her hands slowly and let the fire go out. "Truce."

Then the adults arrived.

* * *

"I didn't _attack_ anybody! They asked if I was from the Fire Nation, so I provided a visual aid." Azula crossed her arms and sat down on her new (it _better_ be new) futon. "It's not like I lit anyone's hair on fire. Which I_could_ have."

Mom buried her face in her hands in a most undignified manner. She stayed that way for a full ten seconds before she looked back up at her daughter. "Azula, I know this is difficult. We're starting a new life in a very strange place, a kind of life with which you don't have any experience. It's inevitable that there are going to be... misunderstandings. We have to be as nice as possible so that people will learn to like us. That means, for now, no Firebending near other people. Especially not anyone from the Water Tribes."

On the other side of the one-room shack, Zuko made a show of kicking the wall, but not very hard because he was a baby that way. "Great, first we have to wear gray clothes while we're here, and now we can't Firebend. Way to go, Azula. You're such a Dum-Dum."

Azula looked over at him, decided she didn't like the superior look in his eyes, and launched herself screeching at him. Mom herself was screaming by the time she tore the two kids apart, and made them both sit in opposite corners of the house until the Chey man brought stew for dinner. Azula didn't know what her mother was so upset about; it's not like she lit Zuko's hair on fire, which she could have.

That night, lying awake on her futon, Azula heard Mom sobbing in the dark. She wondered if Mom missed Dad, too.

* * *

Morning came and, over breakfast, Mom delivered a briefing that Azula only half-listened to. Something about having to go learn how to boil tar or somesuch nonsense. Mom noted that Zuko and Azula were going to have to learn how to do chores, too. "But for now," Mom said, "I can't deal with learning this and dealing with you two, so you get to stay home and stay out of trouble. Remember not to wear anything red." Azula wanted to roll her eyes, but didn't; Mom was in a _really_ bad mood this morning, and even Azula knew to respect her mother's bad moods. Already on her way out the door, Mom finished with, "Why don't you two go find someplace to practice your hand-to-hand defense? Just spar with each other, and watch that you don't Firebend. Azula, no spraining your brother's joints."

As soon as their mother was gone, though, Azula stuck her tongue out at Zuzu and took off into the village. She had better things to do than baby-sit her own big brother.

Like finding those two Water Tribe kids and figuring out what their problem was.

Azula knew stealth, and she was soon moving through the village completely unnoticed in her new (it _better_ be new) gray tunic. She didn't find the Water Tribe kids on the beach like yesterday, so she had to do more searching. She did find Mom in the carpenter's shack, holding a big bucket of black goop that another woman was stirring, but that was boring to watch. Once again, she saw the big man carving up batches of meat, and Azula was quite impressed by the length of the knife he got to use. Mai would be jealous (_she didn't miss Mai she didn't miss Mai _). Still, that wasn't what she was here for.

She found the kids behind the oldest-looking shack in the village. Both of them were combing through a pelt that had been detached from its animal owner and strung up on a rack. Checking to make sure that her topknot was still nice, Azula walked slowly around to the small yard. "Good morning. I hope you two are feeling calmer today."

Both froze at her voice. The boy recovered first, turning to face the Fire Princess and waving the girl away. "Go inside, Katara. I'll take care of this."

Katara. Azula made a mental note.

She waited for the Waterbender to leave before speaking again. "You act like I'm going to do something horrible to you." She widened her beautiful golden eyes in a way that never failed to get Mom on her side. "I just want to be friends with the Waterbender girl. She seems nice."

"Katara doesn't want to be friends with any Fire Nation monsters." He turned around again with a stomp. "And neither do I."

Hm, this was odd. Everyone at the Royal Academy for Girls wanted to be friends with her. It was much better than being her enemy. It was like all these people didn't know anything about Royalty. Azula decided to teach them, starting with this one. He wasn't as old as Zuko, perhaps Mai's age, but you had to start somewhere, and he was convenient.

Azula walked around to face the boy again. "Oh, now that's not very welcoming. My family has been cast adrift by our nation, and when we come to grace your village with our friendship, you call us monsters. What have we ever done to you?"

"All Fire Nation people are monsters. And _you_!" The boy began waving his hands in front of him like he was having some kind of seizure. "You can do the wooshy-fire-thingy with your hands! We _definitely_ don't want that around here!"

"Really." Azula leaned into his face and narrowed her eyes. "And just why wouldn't you like the Agni Warrior's gift to my people, the gift that enabled the world to rise out of savagery, the gift that allowed us to separate ourselves from the beasts?" She reached out and quickly grabbed his tunic. He was taller than her, so she just yanked and unbalanced him so that she was the only thing keeping him from falling. "Hm?"

He looked down at the ground, then up at her, and Azula could see the delicious fear in his eyes. Then, his face set and his eyes grew hard. He shifted his jaw as if to speak, but instead he _spat right in Azula's face_. "Because you Firebenders killed my mom!"

The barbarian's saliva dripped down Azula's cheek. She felt the Fire kindling in her heart, reaching out along her chi-paths in search of this peasant's fragile skin. She wanted so much to burn him. But a Princess accepts difficulty with honor. Azula let go of the boy with one hand, and used it to calmly wipe the spit off her face. Leaning forward so that her hot breath splashed against Sokka's face, she hissed, "Firebenders killed _my dad_. Mom says that if Fire Lord Azulon, my grandfather, ever found us, he would kill us all as a warning to other traitors. So spare me your petty anger, _barbarian_."

Then Azula clenched her soiled hand into a fist and slammed it into the boy's face so hard her own knuckles hurt. She threw him to the ground and stomped off, managing to successfully make it out of the yard before the tears fell. She had them back under control by the time she got home.

A Princess accepts difficulty with honor.

* * *

Soon enough, _everyone_ was talking about "Sokka's" black eye. It didn't endear Azula to the locals at all, but then, she wasn't expecting it to, even though she _could_ have used fire but _didn't_. Zuzu, on the other hand, apologized to Sokka and his family on her behalf. Unprompted. Azula bet that people just loved him already.

To _ashes_ with them all!

Azula vowed that she would be on the next boat out of there, even if it meant she would be a kid alone in the world. Mom was completely impotent, Zuzu was a disgrace, Dad was at best a pile of ash in the family crypt or scattered across a footpath somewhere at worst, and Grandfather was a vindictive monster who wouldn't roll over and die when it was his time. Azula didn't need any of them. She was better off alone. If no one could appreciate her the way Dad did-

Until another boat arrived, though, Mom insisted that it was time for Azula to learn a chore. "Honey, I think it'd be best if you started contributing to the village's well-being. It would give you something to do, and people will come to appreciate you if you help out."

Azula scowled from her stupid, too-thin futon. "Zuzu doesn't have to learn a chore."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Your brother is going to learn a chore, too. He's going to come to work with me at the carpenter's." Sitting down next to Azula, Mom put on a smile that didn't reach her beautiful golden eyes. "Now, where would you like to work? You've been walking around the village. Did you see anything you want to try?"

She didn't want to do peasant work, but there was one job that at least looked a little interesting. And if she was going to be out on her own, it might be a useful skill. "I saw a man cutting up animals. He had a really nice knife."

Mom blinked. "The _butcher?_"

"Is that what they call it?" Azula considered that. "But where do the animals come from? He wasn't cutting up one of those they keep for fur in the pens. And I didn't see any large farms like the Governors administrate for Gr- Fire Lord Azulon."

"They hunt for them, honey. Large farms would give away this village's location, so they send hunters into the woods to catch the large animals."

Azula slowly smiled. "I want to hunt. Away from these stupid peasants."

Zuzu ran up and leaned on their mother's shoulder. "Please let her do it! It'd be nice to send her off on long hunting trips. And the adults will take care of her."

"And if you let me, I won't have to find new ways to keep my Firebending sharp. Here in the village." Azula giggled and smiled up at her mother with her own beautiful golden eyes. "Where everyone will see me."

Mom sighed and sunk her face into her hands again.

* * *

A hunting trip was heading out soon, and Mom's request to let Azula go along was accepted by the leader, a man in green named Hun. On the day, Mom brought Azula out to the village's center around mid-morning. A group of men were gathered, checking over their backpacks and spears. Azula herself brought a knife and a few supplies, but nothing like the huge packs the others did. Typical. Mom had left her completely unprepared.

Then the last arrivals showed up, and Azula was at a loss for a reaction.

It was Sokka, bearing his own large backpack, with his grandmother and sister trailing behind him. When he saw Azula, his eyes widened- well, his one good eye widened, while his puffy black eye stayed shut- and he froze in place. "Aw, you have to be kidding me!"

Azula gave him her best death-glare, the one she learned from Dad, but Mom stepped in front of her immediately. "Azula is very sorry she hit you, and promises that she'll be on her best behavior during this trip."

"Wait, _she's_ going on a _hunting_ trip?!" Sokka looked up at Kanna. "But girls aren't allowed to hunt?"

Azula blinked. "Why not? My mother has already explained the bathroom situation, and I'm confident I can handle it. But no peeking!"

Katara gasped and started tugging on her grandmother's dress. "I want to go too! I know how to pee in a bush! Please please please I want to try hunting!"

With a sigh, Kanna leaned down and rubbed the top of her granddaughter's head. "Katara, if you go hunting, who will help around the house? Your father is still on his trip. If you want, you can ask him when he gets back about going next time." Then she looked over at Mom. "Are you sure about letting your daughter go this time? It's just going to be men, on this trip, none of them her family."

"If she were any other little girl, I would agree that it's a troublesome situation." Mom just massaged her forehead like she had a headache. "But I _know_ Azula."

Sokka sighed. "Hmph. I hate this place. Back in the South Pole, men did men-jobs and women did women-jobs. None of this crazy mixed-up stuff."

Azula hadn't even got out the first syllable of "barbarians" out before Mom gave her enough of a kick to silence her.

* * *

Hun's instructions were simple as they set out for the hunting grounds, deep in the forest. "Follow me, do what I do, and shut up." Azula liked him; he was just like a Fire Army general, and the long march to the hunting grounds helped reinforce that image. What she wasn't so pleased with were his instructions for setting up the campsite once they arrived late in the afternoon. "Azula, since you didn't bring a tent, you'll bunk with Sokka. Don't kill each other."

"But!" said Sokka.

"But!" said Azula.

But it did no good. So Azula simply sat and watched, steaming a little (literally), while Sokka set up his small tent. Planting one of the support sticks into the ground, he grumbled, "Feel free to help any time."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Feel free to teach me if you want help. Dum-Dum."

"Why are you even here? Hunting is man's work!"

"Obviously, I'm here to torture you. Now that I've been exiled from the Fire Nation, I've decided to take up a sacred mission of annoying any Water Tribe boys I meet. And I seem to be so good at it!"

Sokka didn't say anything to that. He just kept working on his tent. Azula may not have liked the situation, but she kept an eye on him regardless, taking in the way he set up the tent's structure, and draped and fastened the covering into place. She committed the entire procedure to memory. She might have to live out of a tent if she ran away from home.

That done, the two children were called over to help with other chores around the campsite. Azula was allowed to light the campfire but didn't get the appreciative noises she was expecting for the ease with which she got a good blaze going. The whole group sat around the campfire as they ate their dinners, and the talk soon turned to jokes that Azula didn't get. She resolved to find out why it was so funny to say that Mom was 'hot' for a Fire Nation woman; as far as Azula knew, her mother's temperature was standard for a Firebender. Sokka seemed to be generally enjoying himself, black eye and all, and for some reason that annoyed Azula. She just ate her apples- the only food her mother had packed- and observed everything.

Then it was time to go to sleep.

In Sokka's tent.

"This side is yours, and this one is mine," was the first thing the Water Tribe boy said as they unrolled their sleeping bags.

Azula clasped her hands together and gave him an imploring look. "Ooh, don't be so mean. You can feel free to cuddle if you get lonely for your family in the night. My brother _loves_ cuddling with me." She punctuated the offer with a smile that was all teeth.

Sokka ignored her, to Azula's disappointment. Zuzu always reacted so deliciously to sarcasm.

Once Azula was settled in her sleeping bag, Sokka reached up for the lantern hanging from the tent's central support stick, but she beat him to killing the flame with a simple exhalation and hand motion. The tent plunged into darkness, and Sokka said, "I wish you would stop with the Firebending."

Azula didn't take that bait, but it did bring to something else to mind, and she figured that she had nothing to lose with this barbarian. "Did your mother fight in the war?"

"What?"

"You said the Fire Nation killed her. Was she a soldier?"

He was silent for so long she had begun to think that he wasn't going to answer. "No, she wasn't a soldier. The Fire Nation came looking for Waterbenders and attacked my Tribe. They killed her in my family's home. Katara was the last to see her."

Azula considered that. She supposed it was sad, in an abstract way, but if his mother was a Waterbender, then that was for all intents and purposes the same thing as being a soldier. Her lessons on Grandfather's policies had been clear on that much. She was drifting off to sleep, vague shapes of Enemy Waterbenders who looked like the screechy Katara girl swirling through her mind, when Sokka spoke again and snapped Azula back to full waking. "Was your dad a soldier?"

Azula snorted. "My dad was a _prince_. He wanted to rule the entire Fire Nation as Fire Lord. We lived in a palace and had servants to do our hunting for us."

"So then how did your dad die?"

"I- I don't know." Azula surprised herself at the admission. She knew all the proceeding events- that Uncle Iroh had lost cousin Lu Ten and shut down the Siege of Ba Sing Se, that Dad had asked Grandfather to be made the crown prince, and how Grandfather had decided to punish him for it. Dad was going to have to kill Zuko, something Azula found rather funny, but then Mom found out.

It was all vague from there. The next thing Azula knew, Mom was waking her up in the night, telling her that they had to go right away. They left the Capital in the night, and on Ember Island, they found announcements of Dad's execution for treason, along with wanted posters for the rest of their family. Mom had then taken Azula and Zuko to Shu Jing, to her swordsman friend who she thought could help them get away.

"I thought he was the best," Azula found herself saying. "I was his favorite. But then he messed up somehow, and they killed him for it while I ran away."

And that was all there was to it. The one person whom Azula respected in all the world, the only one who valued Azula for who she really was, was dead because he wasn't as good as he thought he was. So what else might he have been mistaken about?

In the dark, Azula suddenly felt very, very alone.

Sokka's voice came back softly. "Do you want to hurt them for what they did to your dad?"

Azula let the thought bounce around her mind as she felt sleep overcoming her again. "I guess it's worth trying." It was a purpose, at least.

* * *

_The two children slept through the night, unconsciousness allowing them to be at peace in each other's presence for the first time._

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. Young Love, Part 2

Young Love, Part 2

_The two children slept through the night, unconsciousness allowing them to be at peace in each other's presence for the first time._

* * *

Sokka woke up early the next morning, if you could call the sluggish dark before dawn a 'morning.' This was his first hunting trip, and so the first time he was getting up before the sun while camping. He didn't mind mornings, but this was a new challenge he hadn't expected. He fumbled in the impenetrably dim shadows for his spark rocks, intending to light the hanging lamp so that he could get ready, but he couldn't find them. Maybe he left them in his knapsack? But he'd never find them in the darkness! Then he remembered that he had another way handy to light the lantern.

But wouldn't that be betraying Mom?

But not living up to the expectations of being a true hunter would be betraying Dad.

Sokka reached over and poked Azula. She didn't react, so he moved his hands until he found her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. Reminded of how Katara would wake him up on Gran-Gran's orders, he leaned over and blew gently down at what he figured was her face. "Time to wake up, evil Fire Nation girl."

Azula groaned and stirred. "Wha."

"I need you to reach up and light the lantern."

"Wha."

"Are you awake?"

"Nh."

"Come on! Hunters get up before the sun." He shook her harder, and blew some more air into her face.

"Stp tht." She started sitting up, so Sokka got off of her. He waited in the darkness for a moment but nothing happened. Finally, Azula's voice croaked out again, "Lmp?"

"You can't find the lamp?"

"Yah."

Sokka reached out again, groped for Azula's hands, and when he found one, he lifted it up and stuck it in the lamp. "Now do the fire."

It was another long moment, but then Azula's breathing picked up, and the lamp glowed to life. In the new light, he could see that Azula's eyes were still closed, and her slack face made it look like she was still sleeping. Sokka poked her again. "You gotta wake up so that we can hunt."

"Yah," she said. Then she collapsed back on her bedroll.

* * *

By the time Azula actually woke up, they didn't have long before it was time to report to Hun outside, but once she was conscious, she worked quickly and efficiently. Sokka finished his own preparations by strapping Boomerang to his belt, then quickly tying his hair back in an awesomely manly Warrior's Wolf-tail. He looked over at Azula, and spotted her playing with her own hair. As he watched, she tied a string at the base of the topknot-thingy she always wore, and then let go of her hair.

The topknot flopped to the side, and some hairs escaped in the front to hang over her face. She deflated into a truly profound slump.

Tugging his own hair, Sokka said, "Um, you okay? We gotta get outside to Hun."

"That was my third attempt." She didn't even turn around to say it. "I can't go out looking like a... an exile."

"Well," Sokka found himself saying, despite his black eye's continued soreness, "I could try."

Now, Azula did turn. "You? Touch my Royal person?"

"Hey! You didn't mind this morning. Besides, I've helped my sister with her loopies. Your topknot doesn't look that hard."

Azula stared at him with her freaky golden eyes, and then nodded. "Very well. Be quick about it."

And he was. Sokka actually really liked helping Katara with her loopies after Mom wasn't around anymore, but she hadn't needed him for that in a while. It was too bad, because while it was totally unmanly, a small part of him found making the pretty arrangements to be really rewarding. Azula's normal look was relatively simple, but he took special care to properly proportion the small, dagger-like bangs she liked on either side of her face.

That done, he stepped quickly away and grabbed his spear. "Come on, we're almost late!"

"I know," she grumbled. "And your work is pleasing."

It was only after he was out of the tent that he realized the statement was probably a 'thank you.'

* * *

Sokka was starting to think that Hun was just trying to keep him out of the way.

He had come on this trip- _gotten Dad's permission to go on this trip_- to learn how to be a real hunter in this strange green land. The settlement had been here for a year, since just after Mom died and Dad had taken his family somewhere that the Fire Nation would never find a Waterbender. In that time, all Sokka had learned was that the life skills he had so painstakingly cultivated in the South Pole were completely useless in a land of warm winds and forests. Except for the few Water Tribe warriors who had come with Dad, and the occasional Waterbender traveler from the North who Dad could convince to stay a while and teach Katara some moves, the village was made up entirely of Earth Kingdom refugees and Fire Nation fugitives. Sokka and his family had been forced to adapt quickly, and the boy couldn't help but think that sometimes the other villagers looked down on anyone who wore blue.

Except for Dad. They were impressed with him.

Well, Sokka had his own problems with some of the other villagers. He didn't like any of the Fire Nation people, even if they did wear gray now, and he was going to show the Earth Kingdom hunters that anything they could do, he could learn and improve upon. He wasn't some yokel from the South Pole; he was Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe.

Except Hun wouldn't even teach him! "Take the Fire Nation monkey girl," he had said, "and show her how to move through the forest. You know that much, right? Good. Tomorrow I'll show you how to throw a spear, or something." Sokka didn't say that he already knew how to throw a spear. Dad would be hearing about this when he got back from his latest trip!

If he cared.

So for now, Sokka led Azula through the forest. He was pretty sure he was following a game trail, but he wasn't entirely sure. It wasn't like following tracks in the snow. "So, do you know what fresh grass tracks look like?"

Sokka glanced back, and saw Azula looking at him through narrow eyes. "Aren't you supposed to know?"

"Did you miss the part where this is my first hunting trip, too?"

"Your logic is contradictory. If you don't know, and this is your first trip, and this is also my first trip, what would possibly lead you to conclude that I know?"

Sokka didn't reply to that. Stupid Fire Nation _girl_ thinking she's smarter than him. She probably thought he was a yokel, too. Then he spotted something just ahead, something that he thought was a good sign. "Look, droppings!"

"Ew. Don't step in it. You'll stink and then all the animals will smell you coming."

"No, I mean we're on the trail of something. I've heard about this part, we need to check if they're warm to see if the animal is still nearby."

Azula's eyes grew wide. "I don't know if I have the fine Firebending control for that. How warm do you expect them to be?"

"No no no." Sokka shook his head to clear the thought of Azula doing her crazy Fire Nation Firebending Fire dances in front of a pile of poo. "I mean one of us needs to touch it."

Their gazes met.

"Let's just keep following the trail," Azula finally decided. Sokka nodded his agreement. He might have made some squeally sounds as they stepped carefully over their find, but Azula thankfully ignored them and they both moved on.

Sokka was still thinking about how a _real_ hunter wouldn't have been afraid of touching droppings when the coyotaroo popped out of the foliage, bit down on Sokka's Warrior's Wolftail, and yanked the boy to the ground with a twitch of its canine head.

This wasn't Sokka's first encounter with a dangerous predator, though. He had even been terrorized by a tiger-seal, once, back in the South Pole. It didn't even take him a full second to understand that he was under attack, and although he might have screamed like a little girl at the surprise, his other immediate reaction was to thrust his spear right at the coyotaroo's face.

The doglike creature sprang back with all the strength of its curved back legs. Sokka scrambled to his feet and attacked the creature with a proper thrust of his spear, but it hopped away again with a taunting bark. Sokka dashed after it, but every thrust of the spear just sent it dodging in circles around him. It was enough to make him growl in frustration.

The coyotaroo growled back, deeper.

Then a ball of light and heat flew between Sokka and his prey, exploding into fire. Sokka cried out and stumbled backwards, but the fire didn't go anywhere near him. It curved along the grass back towards the coyotaroo, circling it with perfect curves and trapping it in a ring of flame. The animal whined and hopped again, but the flames rose in time with it, blocking it from escaping.

Sokka stared in wonder until Azula's voice cut into his thoughts with, "Stab the stupid creature already! I don't know how high it will jump if it gets scared enough!" Sokka glanced over to see her in a fierce-looking stance with her arms held up and away from her body, her face intent on the fire. Then, remembering his spear, Sokka took it in both of his hands, targeted the coyotaroo's chest as it reared back from the flames in front of it, and gave it a running stab.

The hit was true, and the animal died as Azula extinguished the fire by lowering her hands. One tongue of flame that had settled on Sokka's spear went out as well.

It was just the two children on the game trail with their catch.

"Wow," Azula declared. "That was easier than I thought. Want to catch another one?"

Sokka blinked.

* * *

They brought back three of the coyotaroos back to the camp by the end of the day; the carcasses were tied to Sokka's spear, which both kids supported, one on each end. Despite the weight, Sokka grinned with pride at the stares of the other hunters, and he could only imagine that Azula was doing the same behind him. Let them all get a load of that! Water Tribe wasn't so bad after all, huh? Of course, the same could be said for the Fire Nation, considering Azula's help...

"Coyotaroos," he heard one man grunt. "Their legs are good eating. Those kids did pretty good."

Hun snorted. "The furs are singed. Could have set the whole forest on fire if the monkey girl lost control."

That hadn't even occurred to Sokka. Dropping his end of the spear, he turned to look at his partner. "Really? We could have set the forest on fire?"

Azula let go of her end of the spear as well, and put her hands on her hips. "Did you hear him? That's only if I lost control." She stepped forward so that her nose was just shy of touching Sokka's. "You will never see me lose control." Leaving their catches on the ground, she stalked back to their tent.

Sokka was so rattled that he barely heard the other hunter speaking to Hun again. "Those two are gonna get married, aren't they?"

"Nah, she's just being a little fire-monkey again."

* * *

Overall, Sokka and Azula returned to the village quite pleased from their hunting trip. They did so again from their second a little while later, and a third after that. It was only then that Dad finally came back. Sokka wasn't there for the landing, being in the house with Gran-Gran and Katara pretending not to be learning how to sew, and so the first he knew of it was when a nail was suddenly driven into the wood above the front door.

By the time they emerged from the house, Dad had finished nailing the first of three dented Fire Nation helmets above the door.

Despite the awkwardness of that, Dad had smiled when he saw his kids and wrapped them up in big hugs. He told Katara that he had brought her another Waterbending teacher who would be staying for a whole _two weeks_ this time, and he gave Sokka a club that he claimed had felled a Fire Nation Captain.

That night, Miss Ursa showed up at their house, knocking daintily on their front door in the middle of a Family Storytime session about Dad's recent battle with a giant Spirit Owl. "Chief Hakoda," she said with a dazzling smile when he answered the door, "it's so good to finally meet you. I remain in awe at your accomplishments in establishing this village and keeping us all safe from the Fire Nation."

Katara stayed over by Gran-Gran, but Sokka crept up behind his father to better check out the situation. He hadn't seen much of Azula's mom yet, really, and he was curious.

Dad's head moved up and down as he took in the sight of the guest. "You must be the Princess."

"Yes. You have my undying gratitude for offering a haven to my children and I. But I was hoping to speak to you about a small issue. I apologize for disturbing you with it, but I wanted to be sure I'm respecting your proper authority."

"I'm listening." Dad crossed his arms over his chest and stayed right where he was, blocking the doorway.

"Thank you. As you might have heard, my daughter has been allowed to serve the village by learning to be a hunter as part of the regular trips, and this has been most agreeable to my family. However, it's come to my notice that the hunting party's regular leader, Hun, has been calling my daughter a... a '_fire monkey._'" Miss Ursa's face, which had been very friendly this whole time, shifted for a moment so quick that Sokka wasn't even sure of what he saw. "Would you care to speak to him about this matter?"

Dad leaned back a step. "I don't see the need."

Miss Ursa blinked. "Oh. Then it would be okay if I handled the matter?"

"If you feel the need. But you shouldn't be causing trouble."

Miss Ursa moved a little, leaning against the doorframe and looking up directly at Dad. "I don't wish to be any trouble, Chief Hakoda. I'm just looking out for my children, in a new home where I want them to become good members of the community. As a parent, I'm sure you-"

Dad moved so fast even Sokka was startled. In an instant, his hands shot out to clutch the doorway and Miss Ursa jumped back with wide eyes. "I'm the only parent my children have left," he said so softly that Sokka could barely hear it. "The Fire Nation is the cause of that, and from what I've been told, you were happy enough with the situation until it turned on you. I'll honor my offer of refuge to anyone who needs it, but there are a lot of bad feelings towards the Fire Nation here, and perhaps you should be more understanding of that."

Miss Ursa left without another word.

As they settled back down for storytime, Sokka kept his eyes on the floor. "Um, Dad, Azula's a good hunter, and maybe Hun shouldn't be mean to her. It's not a big deal, right?"

Dad lifted Sokka's head so that their eyes met, and Sokka was surprised to see his father smiling down on him. "You're a good kid, but our home here is more fragile than you'd think. You'll see, when you're old enough to come with me on my trips, how justice is truly served."

The next day, Hun had a black eye, and he never said anything about monkeys again.

* * *

It took six months for Sokka to work up the nerve to say anything about it to Azula. They had both volunteered to train as guards for the village in between hunts, and were whiling away the afternoon doing sit-ups. Sokka hated sit-ups, but at least he was fit enough that he wasn't out of breath like some kind of fat bandit king. "Hey, what do you think about the war?"

Azula wasn't even sweating. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, you used to live in the Fire Nation. And the Fire Nation started the war."

For a while, he didn't think Azula was going to answer. Finally, she said, "The Fire Nation teaches that reason for the war is to bring civilization and progress to the corrupt and backwards foreign lands."

Sokka had to halt his exercising mid-crunch when he heard that. He tried to speak, but the sustained pressure on his abdomen made that hard, so he flopped to the ground before trying again. "They- they make it sound like a _good_ thing! That's so messed up!"

Azula stopped for a breather as well. "Of course. That's how leaders lead. I, of course, figured out the truth: the Fire Nation is strong, and the other lands are weak, so the strong take what they want from the weak. It's a simple fact of existence, played out on a global scale."

Sokka turned his head and looked at the girl lying on the grass beside him. "And you liked that better?"

Azula shifted and met his gaze with her strange gold eyes. "I did. Then I learned that my Dad and I were weak. Now, I- I think it's probably smart to avoid making assumptions about people. And nations." She started her sit-ups again, adding almost as an afterthought, "And someday I'll make the Fire Nation even weaker than me."

"Sounds good. I'm in." Sokka watched her exercise, and couldn't help but notice the hard, serious look on her face. Tired of all this angst, he reached over, poked a finger into her side, and wiggled it. "Tickle tickle tickle!"

Azula squealed and convulsed, grabbing at the spot and motioning with her hands, and Sokka didn't even realize what else had gone with that until a wave of cold ran down from his finger.

Then the pain hit. A squeal pushed out of his throat, and his finger glistened in the sunlight. "_Ahhh!_ You- you bur- burned me!"

Azula's face swung right up against his, golden eyes wide, and her words tumbled out almost too fast to make out. "I'm sorry I order you to be okay!" She gasped for a breath. "Quick, cover it and don't let any air get at it. I'll get your sister."

"No!"

Azula blinked. "What?"

Sokka moved his arm around his body and stuck his finger into the armpit, then clamped the other arm down over it. That seemed to cut off a portion of the pain, as far as he could feel. "Don't get Katara. She'll tell and you'll get in trouble."

"But she can heal you with her Waterbending."

He shook his head. "She only learned fighty Waterbending." Slush, his finger really hurt. Maybe sticking it in the brook wouldn't be a bad idea. "Dad only brings those guy teachers for her."

Azula's face scrunched up at that. "Hmph. Hasn't anyone here heard of a combat medic?" She finally leaned away from him, her facing relaxing, and crouched on the grass. "Are you okay? It was an accident. I apologize for my... well, lack of control."

Sokka kept his finger right where it was, even if it did make it him look like a demented lemur. "And here you told me I'd never see it. Um, I think I'm going to take the afternoon off, filch a bandage or something. Tell them I pulled a muscle."

"Okay. Um, th- thanks for- um, thanks." Making a sign in the air, she added, "It shall be considered an honorable wound, forevermore."

"Great." He was much more impressed with the actual 'sorrys' and 'thanks' he got. For all her rough, sharp, jagged edges, Azula was a good partner. Sokka decided that he didn't mind covering for her.

Later that day, he asked Dad what a 'medic' was, and one conversation later about oopsies on the battlefield, his father decided to see if a Healer from the North couldn't be persuaded to visit for a little bit.

* * *

A year later, the wound was long restored to clean skin and completely forgotten. Sokka and Azula were once again in the grassy fields between the village and the forest, but today they were in the company of their siblings as well. Azula and Zuko were both sitting with crossed legs and closed eyes, while Katara worked a steam of water through the air in complicated patterns that Sokka found more funny shapes in than a field of clouds. He, in turn, was sharpening the edges of his Boomerang and watching the others.

"I'd like to be a wandering swordsman," Zuko said to the standing question.

Katara spared him a quick glance. "Wandering where?"

"You know, around. Just walking the earth. That's the point of wandering. Just going around and helping people who need it. Like Xiangyu." When no one reacted, he added, "You know, the guy from the adventure stories?"

Azula didn't even open her eyes. "Why swords when you're a Firebender?"

"Well, you know, not all people like Firebenders."

No one responded to that. Finally, Katara said, "I'm going to go up to the North Pole and teach all the women there to fight. Then we'll form our own army and invade the Fire Nation."

Azula's lip quirked. "I like that one. Better than being a simple assassin."

Sokka scraped his whetting stone slowly alone the sharp side of his Boomerang. "I think we should all stick together. We're already used to training together, and we all spar often enough to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. That's, like, half the work of forming a super-team already. We can free the water-women or whatever, then wander the Earth Kingdom for a bit and see the sites and blow them up, but we'd be most effective as a team, don't you think?"

Katara guided the stream of water into the flask at her side, then relaxed and looked at Sokka. "I don't think Dad's warriors would like us working with... well, Firebenders. No offense!" She smiled at the siblings from the Fire Nation. "You two are our friends, but we'll need their connections with the Whit- um, his connections- if we're going to win the war. We'll take you back home when the fighting's done, if you want."

Zuko's eyes snapped open, only to fall into a stream of blinking. "Your dad doesn't like us?"

Sokka put Boomerang down. "He doesn't say anything explicit, but the last time we saw him, he warned us about upsetting the rest of the village with 'unwise alliances.' Also, he seems to get real tense when Miss Ursa is around. I think they really don't like each other."

"Oh," Katara breathed. "Is that what that was? I thought that maybe they used to- um, you know."

Azula opened her eyes, and stood up in front of Katara. "Your father and my mother are _not_, nor have they ever been, romantically involved." Turning away, she added, "And I don't think my mother would be happy with us going off to war with you two, either. I think she worries that with no other marriage prospects around, Zuzu and I will marry you two in some foreign ceremony that won't really make us husband and wife. Our parents are ill at ease in each other's presence because they're on guard, like enemies awaiting an attack. Trust me, I've been trained to see such things. Sexual tension looks completely different."

Sokka's heart skipped a beat. "You can see sexual tension? How do you _train_ for _that?_" Azula wasn't even a teenager yet! Of course, he wasn't quite either, but-

She just smirked at him.

Behind them, Zuko jumped to his own feet with a growl. "The next person who mentions sexual tension in the same thought as _my mother_ is getting their head dunked in the brook."

Azula finally broke eye contact with Sokka. "Oh, grow up, Zuzu."

* * *

The years passed much like that. Sokka and Azula became both hunters and guardians, focused on their responsibilities to the village. Sokka had the distinct impression that their professional partnership was tolerated by the older generation only because of their effectiveness, but that was good enough, because together they could run rings around anyone or anything the village was willing to throw at them.

As grown-up-feeling and empowering as that was, the moments Sokka enjoyed most with Azula were the times they could just get away from it all, like the time he taught her how to fish. She learned from him with the same intensity with which she honed her Firebending, taking careful note of how he baited the hooks, put them in the water, and pulled the catches in.

When he asked why, she just said, "I can't know what skills I'll need until I need them."

"Need them for what?" Sokka almost asked, but then they put another line into the river, and Azula sat next to him on the bank, and it was just kind of nice. Sokka may have leaned a little against his friend, and she let him, but in the quiet of the forest, with no one around to witness them, could it be said to really happen?

Yes. In Sokka's considerable opinion, it very much could be.

* * *

So it was that years after a trio of scary foreign Royals arrived on a gray beach, an older, wiser, and much more confused Sokka found himself walking down to the same beach with his sister to see if the Firebending siblings were free.

"Oh wow," Katara said when they reached the sands, and Sokka had to agree. Azula and Zuko were sparring again. The sister was obviously winning, keeping control of the fight's pace even when she gave ground, but that wasn't what truly captivated him.

He just found himself awed by the way the twelve-year-old Azula moved.

It was music in motion, if he could be allowed to indulge in a completely nonsensical metaphor. Sokka didn't even really care about music, but he definitely enjoyed the sight of Azula here.

With a leaping butterfly kick, she flew sideways over Zuko's latest fireball. The centrifugal motion carried her feet so that she landed upright directly in front of her brother, and she finished the fight by popping a bloom of orange flames right in front of his face. Zuko cried out and stumbled backwards, tripping and landing full on his back in the sand. Azula planted one of her feet on Zuko's bare chest, and gave him a grin that looked decidedly superior. "You flinched, Zuzu."

Sokka couldn't help it. He began clapping. Beside him, Katara crossed her arms, snorted, and said, "Don't let your tongue hang out too much. You'll catch flies."

Sokka spared her a glare. Katara was _completely_ misinterpreting his interest. Sure, Azula was pretty, and her legs had become especially interesting in the last few months, but Sokka just admired good warriors, was all. Katara had probably been rooting for Zuko and was ticked now. Resolving not to let his sister get him sidetracked, Sokka trotted over to the Firebenders. "Nice match," he said.

Azula snorted. "For half of us." She stepped off of Zuko and turned to face Sokka. "So, come to observe another of my flawless victories over my inferior brother?" She clasped her hands behind her back and stuck her chin out a little, smiling.

Sokka smiled back. "Heh. I- uh, I mean, you looked good- not that you ever look bad, because you know, you're very conscious of your appearance- in a good way- and I like that shoulderless tunic on you, plus you're a really good fighter... but that's not why I'm here." Sokka ignored the way his face was burning. "Your mom asked me to come get you two."

Zuko's eyebrows rose from his sprawl across the sand. "Our mother came to you about us?"

Katara ambled over. "Not quite. She was asking anyone in gray where you were, but then Sokka and I decided to cut to the chase and just pass on her message."

"Um, yeah." Sokka gave a slow nod. "I guess we're a rogue diplomatic envoy. Anyway, the _important part_ is that this freedom fighter guy just walked in out of the woods- specifically looking for our village, he says, and you can imagine how thrilled Dad is about _that_- and the whole town is assembling to hear him out.

"He says his name is Jeong-Jeong."

Zuko didn't react, but Azula's face grew thoughtful.

* * *

The town assembled into its usual color formations: blue Water Tribe and green Earth Kingdom clustered together but with a little bit of mixing at the shared border, and the gray Fire Nation grouped within razor sharp lines. Sokka stood beside his Dad at the front of the Water Tribe assembly, with Katara and Gran-Gran somewhere in the center. It was lucky that Dad was around for this, as his trips had only lengthened as Sokka and Katara grew up.

Across the clearing, Sokka could see Ursa standing a step ahead of the other Grays in the middle of their front line, flanked by her children.

Jeong-Jeong himself stood in the center of the whole gathering, alone by distance but not by attention. He stood like a soldier, but his body seemed unusually tense to Sokka, and his eyes scanned over his audience with a probing intensity.

Then the newcomer began speaking. His voice had none of the soft strength of Dad's; it was all snapping and hard edges. "I have come to you to offer the Firebenders of this settlement a way to erase your burden." That got the crowd talking, but Jeong-Jeong ignored the commotion. "There is no use denying it. The world is out of balance, but the Fire Nation alone is not to blame. Fire itself is the enemy, and Fire lives within my nation's Benders. We cannot purge ourselves of it, and we cannot even control it. We are all tainted by it, dragged down to the level of animals by the urges it ignites within us. At best we can simply resist it, and direct its pain against those who would give in more readily."

Ursa's voice rang out from the crowd, just as sharp as Jeong-Jeong's: "Perhaps you should speak more plainly of your proposal." Affirmations came from other gray-clad Firebenders.

Jeong-Jeong nodded. "Some of you know me. Most don't. I used to be an Admiral for the Fire Nation. Now I am a Deserter. A traitor. I could go no further in the depravity demanded by the monster _Azulon_." In the distance behind the guy, Sokka caught Azula flinching at the name, but she didn't make a sound as Jeong-Jeong continued. "I intend to strike back at the Fire Nation, purge my past mistakes in the only worthwhile way possible. I will overthrow the Fire Lord within two years, and destroy the country's ability to wage war. Who will come with me?"

Dad stepped out form the crowd as Jeong-Jeong said, "two years." Sokka could see that the muscles in his father's neck were at their tightest, and that sent a jolt of worry rattling up his spine. What would throw Dad off like that?

But all his father said to Jeong-Jeong was, "You're referring to... you _know_ about it?" It wasn't loud enough to carry very far, but Sokka heard it clearly.

The Deserter nodded. "We share some connections, it seems." Then, louder, "Any Firebenders who wish to come with me, I leave at dawn tomorrow. Don't worry about ever coming back to this... 'haven.' It will be victory or death."

Even before Jeong-Jeong pushed through the crowd and back out of the village, Sokka could feel the heat emanating across the clearing from the Fire Nation grouping. And he could see, even from this distance, that Azula was standing on the balls of her feet.

Ursa, however, just tossed her hair behind her shoulders and called out, "_I'm_ going to remain here. Self-destructive crusades are for those who can't let go of the past. I was raised better than that." She stalked off through the crowd of Grays, and Dad glared at her the whole way.

Dang. If only those two could work together, the Fire Lord would be hiding from _them_.

* * *

"You don't really believe that junk about fire making you evil, do you?"

They were in the yard behind Sokka's house, and the only light was the glow of the moon above. Nevertheless, Azula's golden eyes were vivid when she turned to answer Sokka. "My, my, you've grown up, haven't you? Well, to answer your question, not particularly. I'm more interested in it as a metaphor."

"A metaphor?"

"Yes. Jeong-Jeong is, essentially, offering me a chance to get revenge on _Azulon_ for what he did to my family. To me."

Sokka couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So, what, you're going with him? I thought-" Well, no, they hadn't quite agreed to anything. She said she liked Katara's idea of invading the Fire Nation, but the conversation had kind of fallen on its face when they got to talking about Dad and Miss Ursa. "You're kind of young to run away and join a fanatic, don't you think?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't be stupid. You and I are smarter than anyone else in this village, and I'm every bit the Firebender my mother is already. I don't care at what age Water Tribe boys go ice-dodging; I can take care of myself, and anyone who gets in my way." When she spoke again, her voice was softer, slower. "Jeong-Jeong only asked for Firebenders, but you could come with me. I could make him accept you. He certainly hasn't bought into this joke of a community, and you're one of the few who ever cared about its supposed ideals. You're smarter than you realize, and I... think you could be a valuable partner."

She- she was asking him to run away with her? Sokka's heart hammered in his chest, and he had to sit down on the grass before he fell over. She wanted him to come with her... but he would have to leave everyone- Katara, Dad, Gran-Gran- and go with the crazy Deserter guy. The brain in his heart had a definite answer it wanted him to give, but his primary brain had a good, long list of reasons to say no.

Sighing, he grabbed Azula's hand and pulled her down to sit in front of him. "You're already valuable here. Please, stay. I want revenge on the Fire Nation, too, but we're both too smart to go for it this way."

Azula studied him for a long moment, her golden eyes pale like ice in the moonlight. She let out a breath and nodded. "Okay, I'll stay."

Then she leaned over and kissed him.

* * *

The next morning, Sokka woke up to the sound of a frantic knocking on the door. He wasn't anywhere near as fond of mornings as he had been when he was a kid, especially when he wasn't on a hunting trip. He tried swatting the noise away, before sleep fully left him and took that nice dream with it. He had been dreaming about Azula, how they were talking in the yard, and then they shared their first kiss (which was way nicer than he would have expected the act of pressing lips together to be), and then-

Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait.

That _wasn't_ a dream!

Sokka opened his eyes and snapped upright with enough force to flip his futon underneath him. Gran-Gran was opening their house's door to reveal Miss Ursa standing there with wide, bloodshot eyes. "Is Azula here? Have your kids seen her? I can't find her anywhere!"

Oh slush.

By the time Sokka got out to the forest's edge, the only one there was Dad, staring through the trees. When he heard Sokka running up from behind him, he just shook his head. "Forget about them. We can't afford any distractions if your mother's spirit will ever rest easy."

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	3. Old Shame, Part 1

Old Shame, Part 1

It hadn't been an empty two years, and Sokka was already used to dealing with loss.

The worst time was immediately after Azula left. Their little team was all lopsided without her, completely out of whack. They only had one girl, one Fire person, and one smart person instead of the two that each of those categories was supposed to have. Most importantly, they now only had one late-sleeper, and that was all kinds of wrong. It really didn't help that pretty much everyone in the village considered the 'Exodus' to be a net gain, getting rid of most of the Firebenders. There were a lot of comments about Azula's disappearance, especially, being for the better.

Sokka was too smart to get into fights about that, but he was tempted. So instead, he locked all of his real feelings behind that Black Wall where the memories of his mother lived, and focused on being the stable rock in the middle of the slush storm. He continued to go on hunts, and while he was now on his own, he didn't let that slow him down. He learned more about fighting from Dad before he left on another of those long trips, and there was even a promise that Sokka would be considered for a crew member the next time.

Sokka had smiled and pretended to be pleased.

The chance never quite materialized, because Sokka was needed in the village more. Gran-Gran was a good leader when it came to working through life's usual issues, but as time passed and the village began to take on more and more characteristics of a military base, Hakoda needed someone he could trust back home who knew how to deal with warriors. And the warriors who came were certainly an eclectic mix.

Dad also needed someone around who knew how to deal with Miss Ursa.

So two years passed, and Sokka took all the hurt, all the loneliness that Azula had left him with, and pretended that it made him crave the sugary release of revenge.

* * *

Sokka was taking a shift patrolling the edge of the forest when he met Azula's uncle.

The old, short man came walking right out of the forest as if he didn't have a care in the world. Sokka paused in his pacing and watched as the guy ambled right up to him. Despite his girth, he didn't waddle at all, and in fact Sokka had heard tigerdillos who made more noise as they traversed the woods. When he was still a short distance away from Sokka, well out of clubbing range, the man stopped and bowed with a smile. "Good afternoon."

"Heya." Sokka gave a lethargic wave.

The man's posture was straight but relaxed, and the continued smiling didn't strain his face at all. "Is that Hakoda's village over there? I'm looking for some family, and perhaps you could give me some directions."

Sokka nonchalantly tipped his club back and forth. "Is that Fire Nation armor you're wearing?"

"Actually, yes. It was specially made for me."

"Mm hm." Sokka lowered his club. "Firebender?"

"Again, yes."

"Hm." For an infiltrator, the old guy was pretty agreeable. Sokka appreciated that. "Who are you looking for?"

The guy folded his hands together in his sleeves. "Either my sister-in-law or my nephew. I'm hoping for both. Perhaps you know them?"

Sokka resisted the urge to groan. It wasn't hard to figure out who the guy was seeking amongst the few mother-and-son pairs around. "I can take you to see Miss Ursa and Zuko, but I don't want to cause a big fuss in the village. Is it okay if I tie your hands back?"

The old man shrugged. "If it would make everyone feel better."

He was right; for a Firebender, it wouldn't be anything more than a symbolic gesture. But symbols were important to some people. "Thanks. I won't make it too tight. What's your name?"

"You can call me Iroh."

"Okey dokey, Mister Iroh."

Once that part was done, Sokka marched his 'prisoner' into the village. It was busier these days than the last time they had welcomed a strange Firebender. The beach was no longer a place to spend idle time; now it was a makeshift shipyard where a small fleet was receiving its finishing touches. In addition to all the people handling the village's daily chores, there were plenty of newcomers walking around carrying orders, soldiers counting weapons, and groups training in combat moves. As Sokka walked down the dirt road that went through the center of the village, he caught sight of one of the more agreeable commanders who had shown up recently to join Dad's big push. "Hey, Suki!"

The painted girl turned, saw him, and trotted over with a smile. "Sokka! What do you need?"

He jerked a thumb to the plump old man standing patiently behind him. "The Fire Nation in-charge-lady has a guest. Do you know where she is?"

"Of course." Suki was an acknowledged control freak, in addition to several other matters of pride that she indulged in. One of the reasons she liked Sokka was because he was one of the few Water Tribe guys around who didn't laugh at the sight of a group of dress-wearing painted warriors. "She and her son went to meditate at... I think you call it The Rock?"

"Yeah, that's it. What about my sister?"

Suki's face pinched. "She's down at the beach with that Jet guy. Showing him how to repair boats with tar. I have a Kyoshi Warrior keeping an eye on him. Not because I'm patronizing your sister, I just want a witness if he does anything scummy."

"Hey, thanks." Sokka gave a vigorous nod with that. His assessment of the so-called 'Freedom Fighter' was even worse than Suki's, assuming that the stories he liked to brag about were true. And yet Dad had recruited the guy and sent him here to join in the Eclipse Action...

"Do you need help with your... I guess he's a prisoner." The smile returned to Suki's face. "I'm free if you want an escort."

Sokka returned her smile very politely. "Nah, I got this. I appreciate the offer, though. See you around." He waved Iroh along before Suki could turn the matter into a debate, and headed towards the Eastern outskirts of the village. A cliff rose on that side, the closest spot to the sun in the area unless you wanted to climb to the top of one of the forest trees and perch up there like a sparrowkeet.

He led Mister Iroh up the path to the cliff, and there he found Miss Ursa guiding Zuko through a Firebending kata. "Hey, I got this guy named Iroh who says he's related to you. You want I should throw him off the cliff?"

The kata came to a screeching halt, literally, and Zuko should probably be embarrassed that he was the one doing the screeching in question.

* * *

"Now, we must get to the heart of the matter," Mister Iroh said after the long mix of joyful reuniting, promises that no one present wanted to assassinate anyone else, a call for tea that sent Zuko running back to the village for a service set, and other time-wasting nonsense. "I am sorry for having to disturb your peaceful lives here, but I am afraid I am the bearer of very important, very mixed news. It is customary to ask if you would rather have the good new or bad news first, but in this case there is a mandatory order for what I have to say. First of all, Azula is alive and well."

With those words, Sokka's role as an impartial and only slightly sardonic observer to the whole business came to a crashing end. He barely heard Zuko's sharp intake of breath, or Miss Ursa's gasping cry. He might have said something that sounded like, "Whahouaouah?!" He wasn't really listening to himself.

Miss Ursa, of course, recovered first, springing to her feet to tower over her sitting brother-in-law. "Where is she?"

Iroh took a long sip from his tea before speaking again. "I'm afraid that's the bad news. She's in the Fire Nation. In my father's court. He has restored her Station, welcomed her back as a Princess of the Fire Nation."

There was another round of strangled sounds all around. Someone probably should have been handing out awards for the best ones.

Iroh took another sip from his teacup. "That's only the beginning, unfortunately." He then launched into a long explanation that Sokka only half-followed. He took great interest in the beginning part where Azula showed up out of nowhere at the Fire Palace's doorstep, demanded an audience with the Fire Lord, and went straight to kowtow right before the Fire Throne. "She said that she had been effectively kidnapped by you," Iroh said with a look to Miss Ursa, "and that she had been forced to make her own way back to the palace, and to Honorable Service, only after she had acquired the necessary skills for the journey."

The old man then went on to describe the political maneuvering Azula had done to secure her position, something that Sokka didn't quite follow involving a probationary acceptance by the court, which ended when she uncovered a corruption scandal involving some Admiral Zhao guy and proved his guilt to the Fire Lord. "My father decided that she had demonstrated her loyalty and capability, and fully restored her. Since then, she's been a very active and capable member of both the court and the Fire Lord's inner circle. Even I can see that she's trying to get herself named as my father's crown heir."

Sokka was numb from it all, and the general silence told him that everyone else on the cliff was probably reacting the same way. Somewhere, a sparrowkeet chirped. Into the stillness, Iroh said, "Normally, I wouldn't mind, but it is not for myself that I seek the throne." He reached into his sleeve, and pulled out a White Lotus tile that he laid on the grass at the center of the small group. "I am a Grand Lotus in the very organization working with this village. My part was to remain in the Fire Nation and oversee certain plans there, but my subordinates have all been identified and either brought to light as traitors, or made to suffer accidents. My part of the plan for the coming months is now in grave danger." He finished the last of his tea and continued, "The ones responsible are a violent, Fire Nation-based offshoot of our group known only as the _Red_ Lotus, and I recently learned that Azula herself is a member. What function she is fulfilling for them with all this, I cannot determine."

With that, Sokka reached for his tea and knocked the whole cup off in one shot. It had gone cold.

* * *

That night, Sokka met with Katara, Gran-Gran, and Suki in his house. No one else knew of the gathering, or so he hoped. "...and that's what this General Iroh told us," he finished.

Katara shook her head. "I never thought we'd hear about Azula again. So Ursa and Zuko are leaving to go after her?"

"Of course not." Sokka didn't bother describing how Miss Ursa had immediately volunteered to do just that, or how General Iroh had politely but firmly refused to bring either her or Zuko back to their death. Sokka had been quite impressed at how the old man shrugged off every one of Miss Ursa's attempts to intimidate him into submission. Iroh may act like a goofy tea-obsessive, but he was a pretty cool customer.

Sokka could also have mentioned how Zuko vowed to go on his own anyway, theorizing that if Azula had been welcomed back, he could find a way to win the same favor and then keep her in line. "I'm her brother," Zuko had said, "so she'll have to listen to me."

Miss Ursa had just planted her face in her hands and replied, "Zuko, honey, your sister doesn't believe she has to listen to anyone. You know that."

Instead of going over all of that for a sister who usually didn't listen to him anyway, all Sokka told his sister was, "I'm the one who's going."

Katara's eyes went wide. Gran-Gran grunted. Suki blinked with confusion.

Sokka held his hands up before anyone could speak. "It makes sense if we're going to help General Iroh and Azula. One, the Fire Lord has no idea who I am. Two, Azula might actually listen to me, because she respected my brain and before she left we... um, other reasons. Three, I'm either smarter than her or almost as smart as her, depending on who you ask, so I have a chance of figuring her out even if she doesn't want me to. Four, we need someone Dad trusts to see if we can salvage whatever this White Lotus plan was, while the rest of allies head off the attack on Ba Sing Se. Anyone care to contradict those points?" By the time he finished, he somehow had all five fingers in the air, but didn't worry about it.

Katara started pacing around him. "Yes, I'm going to contradict them! Sokka, we only just met this Iroh guy today, and we don't even know that the White Lotus is really doing something in the Fire Nation! Dad and all them don't tell us anything more than they have to, so Iroh could be making the whole thing up just to get some help taking out a rival for the throne."

Suki tsked. "Then how would he know about the White Lotus in the first place? Chief Hakoda brought me and my warriors here to fight in the Eclipse Action, but I didn't even hear about the White Lotus until Elder Kanna brought me into the major planning sessions. And if he _is_ an enemy, we do need to know how much he's learned, and what his own plans are."

Sokka nodded at her. "Thanks."

Her painted smile was brilliant. "My pleasure."

Katara's face only grew more scrunched. "Fine, maybe it makes some kind of sense, but don't pretend you're doing all this because of you're trying to fix everything. You can't fool your _sister_. You're just going because you still haven't gotten over Azula!"

"Well, she is our friend. We grew up together!"

Katara did the whole Little Sister thing that Sokka dreaded, complete with hands on her hips and evil-eyed stare. "That's not what I mean and you know it! But fine, let's talk about friendship. She left everything here to run off and play Firebender, and now she's either trying to rule the Fire Nation or just wreck all of our own plans for the giggles. Which do you care about more, some girl you used to think was pretty, or getting justice for _Mom_?" Slowly, she added, "If you ever really loved Mom, then there's only one way to answer that."

She may as well have punched him. The question exploded in Sokka's gut, wracking him with enough to pain to send him collapsing back into the nearest chair. He _knew_ he loved his mother, but had he avoided thinking of her for too long? Was what he was feeling really that bad? He couldn't even really remember what she looked like and if what Katara said was true-

For the first time since he met Azula, Sokka wondered if not hating her was a betrayal of everything he was supposed to be for.

Gran-Gran's hands sank onto his shoulders. "You always loved your mother, and I know you still do." She turned to glare at Katara. "That's enough out of _you_, young lady." Then, shifting her gaze back to Sokka, she said, "No one- not Katara, not your father, not this General Iroh- can tell you how you really feel. I've made no secret of not being fond of the Fire Nation royalty, but Azula always supported you before she left, so if you think you need to go after her, then you do it. Hakoda has always done what he felt he needed to, and shouldn't be making a fuss if you had a different idea of what that was about. When I was living in the North Pole, I had to follow my own heart even though everyone was against me. It's not as romantic as it sounds, but you're a practical boy. I trust you to make the right choice for the right reasons."

Sokka pulled his Gran-Gran into a tight hug that lasted a good long while. Then he turned to Katara and shrugged. "I guess I'm packing. Give my regards to Dad. Tell him to enjoy his revenge, and… good luck."

* * *

The next day, Sokka left his village. It wasn't the first time, but this was different from all the organized hunting trips, or when Dad took him out on a ship to go rock-dodging for his Rite of Passage.

This time, he might not be coming back. This time, he was going to the Fire Nation.

Now, Iroh led Sokka through the forest, heading back to the big metal ship that would take them to the Fire Nation. "So," Sokka said, "you mentioned that you could get me into the whole Evil Fire Nation Society thing without any trouble. Whatcha have in mind?

Iroh smiled as he walked, like this was some kind of pleasant day trip they were taking. "Oh, I left on the pretense of seeking some excitement in foreign lands. Even though they're not White Lotus, my crew is directly loyal to me, and will be happy to verify the adventures I plan to tell the court. I'm going to present you as a slave I captured to be my assistant. You'll have to wear a gold collar, but it will mainly be for show and fairly comfortable."

Sokka gave a deep sigh. "I'm sorry I tied you up yesterday, even if it was the smart thing to do."

"Yes, the universe does display a certain natural balance, doesn't it? Now, we can only hope that Destiny favors us saving Azula or stopping her from doing anything the world will regret." Iroh sighed. "Spirits help us."

* * *

Iroh's metal ship (Sokka had been completely fascinated by the engine room) had been surprisingly fast, and within a week they were setting into the Capital Island's biggest port. It had taken that long for Sokka and Iroh to agree on a story for Sokka's capture and assemble the "slave's" costume. All too soon, they were marching down the ramp to the gleaming marble of the Royal Dock. At the bottom, they were met by a group of what Sokka took to be servants in strange triangular hats, and a palanquin was offered for Iroh's use. The old man declined, choosing instead to "walk and show off my new acquisition." The servant's eyes had flickered over to Sokka at that, and he managed to keep his face blank and gaze unfocused.

He'd have to get used to doing that, if he was going to maintain his cover. The trick was going to be not blushing over his ridiculous costume.

They passed through the city, and Sokka had to keep from gaping at it all. The buildings! They were so- _big_! The only grass and trees were in little sculpted patches that Uncle Iroh told him were called "parks;" everything else was covered in stone of all kinds of colors. And this wasn't even the Earth Kingdom! And everything had little detailed features that gave it all a creepy, artificial texture. Some were sculpted, some were painted, some were made of slotting together stones of different colors, but everything had to have borders or symbols or something that turned it into a riot of extravagance.

Sokka simultaneously wanted to run away from it all and copy it in colors he would find more pleasing. He barely noticed the people gathering to whisper and point at him.

Soon enough they reached the dark, very pointy towered palace and were welcomed within. Guards in all-concealing crimson armor stood at attention at both the gates and the doors, and inside Sokka spotted a variety of people in much fancier but seemingly more comfortable armor. They were the military brains, he assumed, although being Fire Nation they were undoubtedly of the crazier brain varieties. Servants of surprisingly uniform appearance, even in the faces, ushered Uncle Iroh (and Sokka tagging along in his wake) through the tallest hallways to a room behind a red curtain.

Sokka hadn't expected to step through it into the throne room.

He assumed that the guy sitting at the highest point in the room, on a staircase-like construction at the far end whose top was actually on fire, was the Fire Lord. He certainly looked every inch an evil old man who got his jollies by wrecking the whole world. Various people in fancy robes and-or fancy armors lined the sides of the room, and there was someone short sitting to the Fire Lord's immediate right but the flames blocked Sokka's view of the person.

Anyway, it was apparently time to bow. Sokka kept his head low to the floor even after Iroh rose and began telling the court about his 'adventures.' Finally, he got to the important part. "And I captured this young warrior during my infiltration of the Water Tribe settlement on Kangaroo Island." Sokka didn't know where that was, but it sounded really hopp- no, too obvious. "His name is Sokka, but I have decided to rename him Wang Fire."

That was his cue!

Sokka stood up, showing off his 'costume,' for a very liberal definition of the term. The actual clothing consisted of nothing more than a pair of baggy red pants that extended just below his knees, while the rest of his body was given over to fake tattoos on bare skin. The pictographs were authentic Water Tribe style and told a real legend, but Sokka sincerely doubted that anyone in the court would recognize his favorite Avatar Kuruk adventure. His hair was left unbound to hang on either side of his face, and gold earrings in the shape of flames (as fake as the tattoos, because there was no way Sokka was going to let his ears be pierced; the only Water Tribe guys with earrings were pirates, in his opinion) dangled almost down to his shoulders. The gold collar that Uncle Iroh had mentioned on the day they set out was wrapped around his neck, but it didn't feel any different than a necklace.

Sokka stood there and didn't have to try at all to be a proper spectacle.

The Fire Lord's laughter rang out. The _really_ old man stood up with ease, and stared down at Uncle Iroh and Sokka. "Well done, my son. I see you have reacquired your taste for preying on our enemies. And very appropriate that you should choose a Water Tribe savage as your manservant. Is he a Waterbender?"

"He is not, Father. I encountered no Waterbenders in my travels."

The Fire Lord took on a truly nasty grin that made Sokka's fingers itch for his boomerang. "As it should be," he gargled. The older old man took a step down, and the flames running along the top of the throne structure all died immediately. Had he done that with Firebending? But he hadn't made any movements that looked like Firebending dancey moves.

Then, with the flames gone, Sokka realized he had a good view of the person who had been sitting beside the Fire Lord. It was a girl, of course, fierce in expression and wearing black battle armor with her hair done in a traditional topknot. Sokka had never seen the armor before, but he was intimately familiar with that topknot. He shifted his eyes, and looked at Azula for the first time in two years.

* * *

_Gold eyes met blue, and the surge of electricity that passed between them was no less powerful for being completely invisible._

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	4. Old Shame, Part 2

Old Shame, Part 2

_Gold eyes met blue, and the surge of electricity that passed between them was no less powerful for being completely invisible._

* * *

Only Azula's masterful self-control kept her from falling off the throne in shock. It was _Sokka_. Here in the _Fire Nation_. Being presented as Uncle's _slave_. Standing there _mostly naked_. And looking _much sexier than any boy had any business being while Azula was ogling- er, looking at- him!_

Only an obscure Firebending technique kept the flush from her cheeks.

Sokka himself didn't react visibly to her. He just stood there and acted like the heat of the throne room didn't bother him, despite all the sweating he was doing. That was good. She had no idea what he was doing here, but if it was discovered that they knew each other, there would be trouble, and Azula had no time for trouble. Could they just keep on pretending that they didn't know each other? Would Sokka allow that? No, she knew him well, and she couldn't imagine that he would be content to ignore her. He'd play it safe, but would eventually arrange a meeting. Did Uncle know his significance to her?

_Uncle._

Yes. This was all deliberate. A trap for her. But a Princess accepts difficulty with honor. Too bad for Uncle that Azula was smarter than he was.

Also, she didn't have to keep this charade up much longer. His time was running out. In less than two months, it wouldn't matter what Uncle Iroh suspected.

Grandfather dismissed the court so that he could lunch with his son, and Azula immediately headed for her room in the tower. She had important plotting to do. Completely professional plotting, that had nothing to do with the last lingering look she gave Sokka's glistening torso.

* * *

For two days, she managed to avoid prolonged contact with Uncle, and any encounters with Sokka at all. This was no easy task, considering that the suite of rooms where the pair was living sat just down the hallway from hers. Fortunately, for all that Grandfather was pleased with his son for doing something other than gorging on tea and winning amateur Pai Sho games, he wasn't ready to take the fool into his inner circle just yet. Uncle Iroh had still spent too many years after Ba Sing Se freeloading, never mind the debacle of the abandoned siege and the year he spent Spirits-knew-where.

Two days wasn't much, but it took Azula to the first of her checkpoints. Unfortunately, it was during the event itself that Sokka finally managed to confront her.

She had arranged to have the afternoon off, claiming to Grandfather that she felt a disturbance in her Inner Fire and wished to consult the Sages in the Capital Fire Temple on the matter. She eschewed her armor for this trip, instead dressing in pious red robes with a covering for her head, and made her way out of the palace without fanfare. Passing through the gates into the city was impossible to do quietly, but she drew her dupatta scarf close around her face and hoped that none of her fanboys who waited around the palace would recognize her. (She made a mental note to set another one on fire to see if she couldn't finally discourage their stalking behavior.)

As she waited for the gates to swing open, a shadow fell across her from behind. "Well hello, Princess," a deeper but still very familiar voice whispered.

Azula refused to look. "Slaves aren't supposed to address royalty without permission, you filthy savage."

Sokka's soft chuckle came back. "Ooh, you say 'savage' so well. Have you been practicing? And anyway, I thought my old set of permissions was still standing. Does that mean I'm not allowed to touch your royal hair anymore, either?"

At this rate he was going to get them both killed, which he was no doubt banking on. With a sigh, she whispered, "Walk with me, a step behind until we're out of sight of the palace."

He didn't reply, but when Azula moved through the massive mechanical gates, he followed. She didn't make for her original destination, but instead headed into the market sector. "Good choice," Sokka said as they moved into the crowds. "My excuse is that your Uncle sent me out to do some shopping for him. I'm hoping to pick up a shirt for myself."

Azula didn't say anything until she reached a certain plaza away from the thoroughfare. The space was dominated by a metal statue of her grandfather, an amazing likeness for his meanest glare, probably explaining why everyone avoided it. Finally alone, she pushed the dupatta scarf back to fully expose her face. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here."

She finally got a close look at Sokka, and despite the way he shrank back from the venom in her voice, she could see that her earlier impression had hardly covered the changes in him. He had grown, in more ways than one, and she could see some of his father in the shape of his face. Sokka wasn't overly muscular, but now he was toned and solid, and she could plainly see the strength like steel beneath his skin (especially in his chest and abdomen). It was a shame he had tattooed himself, but she recalled him speaking ill of such 'piratey' practices as a child, so perhaps there was hope that they were fake. She preferred his hair tied back in the Warrior's Wolftail, but there was no denying that his blue eyes- those sparklingly innocent eyes that hid sharp intelligence and corrosive cynicism- were classic Sokka.

Azula felt an uncomfortable burning in her chest, but she banished it by focusing her thoughts on her mission. She couldn't let him make her late for her appointment at the Temple.

When her glare failed to abate, Sokka straightened and stuck out his chest (_don't stare don't stare_) in defiance. "Not that I'm apparently going to get any appreciation for it, but I actually came to Evil Land here to see if you needed any help."

"Help."

"Yeah, help." He pointed a finger right in her face. "You left to join a wacko with a bundle of issues bigger than Katara's Survivor's Guilt, then after two years your Uncle shows up and tells us that you're hanging out with the guy who ordered _your death_ when you were just a little girl, plus he says you're mixed up with some kind of crazy secret society at war with another secret society. Forgive me for thinking that you might need a little help."

Wait, Uncle knew of her Red Lotus connections? That could be troublesome, but it was good to know. This conversation wasn't completely valueless. Covering her surprise, Azula poked a sharpened fingernail into Sokka's chest, right over his heart. "This is because I'm a woman, isn't it? You still haven't gotten over your Tribe's odd little obsession with gender. You think I've been lost since I left your manly care, and now you need to come bring me home to cook for you. Well, I have news for you, savage, my ambitions are far beyond that." She crossed her arms and turned away from him.

"No, it's that I-" He cut himself off, and stuck his hands out pleadingly. "You're my best friend ever! Starting when we were kids, you showed me how capable you were, and I _like_ the idea of us going out and having manly adventures together, thank you very much. I care about you. As a person! We... we _are_still friends, aren't we?"

"That was two years ago, and we were both children." Azula threw a glance back at him and rolled her eyes. "Please tell me you haven't been obsessing over me since then." She had always been an excellent liar, although some people liked to call it 'acting.' The terminology made no difference to Azula.

Sokka took a step back from her, eyes going harder. "The way I remember it, you're the one who kissed me. Gee, sorry if that made an impression!"

The memories came back vividly. That kiss was the last personal indulgence she had taken for herself, and she- no, she couldn't be thinking about this. "Yes, I suppose it would have made an impression. After all, there were no other girls there for you, true? You didn't have to come all the way to the Fire Nation to chase me down. You could have just gone on vacation to some Earth Kingdom city and found a woman to play with there." She moved her eyes to the statue of her Grandfather and kept them there. "I certainly have enough admirers here to keep me busy; I don't really have time for another one."

She didn't move her gaze from that sneering statue, not even when his thick voice came back loud enough to make her jump. "But- I think I- I really care for you. I _have_ met other girls, and _believe_ me, I don't think there's another girl in the entire world like you!"

The burning feeling was back in her chest, but a princess accepts difficulty with honor. She couldn't- she had to- "Good for you," she ground out between clenched teeth. "My father was the last person who thought I was special, and now the only thing I care about is getting my proper due. If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment I cannot miss." Drawing her dupatta back close around her face, Azula left him standing there, carefully avoiding the sight of him.

* * *

"Ah, Your Royal Highness. Welcome to the Temple. How can I be of service?"

Azula waited out Sage Shigai's bow, and then followed him up the stairs into the Capital Fire Temple proper. It wasn't as large or ostentatious as the palace, but had a sprawling grandeur all its own. Apparently, the Sages had been supportive of her Grandfather, to their benefit. "Thank you for seeing me," she said as she walked within. "I woke up this morning and sensed... a problem with my Firebending. I fear for my Inner Fire, and seek the guidance of your learning in the matters of the Great Element."

The old Sage led her to a Reflection Room, waved her inside, and then followed and closed the door. The only thing in the windowless chamber was an ornate fire pan, and as Shigai kneed in front of it he tossed a stream of flame into it that lit up the room. "Now, Princess, for what problem do you seek help?"

Azula kneeled across from him and met his gaze. "You've heard of my blue fire?" He nodded, leaning forward a bit with sharp eyes. It was no secret that part of what made Azula the new darling of the Capital was this rare gift of hers. (Jeong-Jeong had taught her well, just like- well, like Dad.) The Fire Sages especially were fascinated by it; some called it a good omen, but they were probably just being sycophants. "This morning, when I did my morning exercises, I found that I could no longer summon it." She raised a hand, and plain old ball of fire snapped to life just above her palm, the same color as the flame in the pan. "Something about today has felt... cold. I don't understand it. Could I have taken sick in some way?"

Shigai nodded confidently, and gave Azula a small smile that was probably supposed to comfort her. "I think I understand, and there is nothing to worry about. Today is actually a special day, predicted by the Temple's astrologers. The moon will pass in front of the Sun, a temporary eclipse that will dampen all Firebending for several minutes. You are probably extra sensitive to the phenomenon, and so the heat of your Fire diminished. I expect the blue color, and extra heat, will return after the eclipse, once the moon has moved far enough away from the Sun."

Azula gave a long, light sigh. "Oh, I'm so relieved. You have my undying thanks." Blinking shyly in a very calculated way, she added, "Do you- do you think I could see this eclipse? When will it occur?"

"As it happens, it will be happening shortly. If you like, we could step out into one of the Meditation Gardens and watch. But do not look directly at the Sun as the moon passes over it! It is a blasphemy and you will be struck blind for gazing on it."

Azula resisted the very strong urge to roll her eyes. What a backwards way of rationalizing the eye-searing dangers of watching an eclipse. "Oh, what fortunate timing. Come, Wise One, let us go confront this Sky Enemy together and show it the strength of the Fire Nation."

They rose and left the room, Shigai leading her further down claustrophobic hallways. They passed several more Reflection Rooms, then turned a corner and abruptly came to a small, open atrium. A wide flight of stairs led down to the marble floor of the "garden," and the only plants visible were a trio of potted little trees shaped like the flame sigil of the Fire Nation. As they passed out beneath the open sky, Sage Shigai motioned up at the sun above them. "See, the moon approaches."

Azula looked up, and, raising her arms to point directly at the sun, shot a long flare of red and orange flames up towards the celestial body. The fireball dissipated just beyond the temple's roof, fading into the air. "Ah," Azula sighed, "still the weaker color. Let us wait out this eclipse." She was careful not to look at the sun as the moon passed in front of it, but the light all around her dimmed unmistakably, leaving everything looking dead and washed out. She _felt _the eclipse, deep within her, and knew her Firebending was gone. The nature of the sensation wasn't unlike the feeling that came when Sokka confessed to her, only reversed.

Azula reflected on that revelation as a group of masked men jumped down into the garden from the Temple's roof, guided by the flare she had just sent out for them, and moved in at Sage Shigai to seize him. She ignored the activity as they all grappled, and the tallest of the attackers, a huge man with freakishly muscled arms, wrapped his biceps around Shigai's head. The Sage was an excellent martial artist, of course, but he was trained as a _Firebender_, and during the eclipse, would be without his normal defenses.

And so there was no worthwhile resistance as the big man _twisted_ Shigai's head, and the neck snapped with an awful crack.

The lifeless body was carried and laid out at the base of the stairs leading into the garden, as though Shigai had taken a fall, then the masked figures clambered up their ropes back to the roof and disappeared from view. The team was always so efficient with their tasks, whether it be neutralizing the White Lotus spies in the city or Grandfather's troublesome toadies. It was a shame that people had to die like that, but unavoidable. Azula nodded at a job well done and left the garden as the eclipse ended. She felt her Firebending rekindle in her heart, but it was a dull sensation compared to some. Still, it was good that it wasn't distracting. With Shigai eliminated, Azula had to put the next part of the Red Lotus' plan into effect.

She hurried from the Temple, but not before summoning a blue tongue of flame on one finger, just to be sure.

* * *

"Oh, how absolutely tragic, Grandfather. Imagine if the Earth Kingdom armies learned that our greatest Fire Sages are too clumsy to ascend a set of stairs. But wait, Sage _Shigai_? Wasn't he the one who was going to serve as the Master of Ceremonies for your..."

"Yes. Typical of that old fool to get himself killed on the cusp of his most important political appearance. Now each of the other Sages will begin their polite little infighting and try to impress me enough to be chosen as the replacement. As if someone like me could care about their petty accomplishments."

"Hm, a _thought_ occurs to me, Grandfather. Why don't I take Sage Shigai's place? I think his task well within my ability, with practice, and the inherent message of the Royal Family's place over the Sages would be well taken, I think."

"Heh, heh, heh. I like your sense of humor, Princess Azula, and your political astuteness is most impressive. If only Iroh could- But very well, you shall be our new Master of Ceremonies."

"Thank you, Grandfather. I will do our family and nation proud."

* * *

It was a good excuse to keep away from Uncle and Sokka, at least. Every day, Azula left the palace early to practice the rare Firebending she would need for her part in the ceremonies, and when she returned she made sure she stayed in public view so that she couldn't be ambushed again. Mostly, Azula kept to the company of the various military advisors who had places in her Grandfather's court. She had no use for the noble class, especially given the Red Lotus' agenda, and with both of her old childhood friends gone abroad, there was no one of any personal interest to her in the whole Capital.

Then, as she was having a light conversation with General Shinu in the palace about two weeks before Summer's End, a servant came up to her and offered her a scroll wrapped in a ribbon. Shinu cut off his ranting about civilian Earth Kingdom 'freedom fighters' as Azula unfurled the missive.

It was an invitation from Uncle to visit in his suite that night. The scroll proclaimed that a shipment of exotic tealeaves had just arrived for him, and he wished the opportunity to finally match her up with a preferred drink. Shinu nodded and said, "Ah, General Iroh might be a bit soft-headed these days, but he knows his teas. I wouldn't have discovered the Keemun varieties if it weren't for his taste-matching skills."

Azula resisted the urge to light the invitation on fire. So, he had finally come up with a way to confront her. She could refuse him, but she had no good reason to do so (at least, not that she could let become known in the court) and there was less risk in indulging Uncle than in acting suspiciously. She said to the servant, "Tell my Uncle that I accept," and dismissed him with a motion.

After dinner, she shed her armor, put on her best formal robes, and called on her Uncle at his suite. Sokka answered the door, of course, and stayed silent as she entered. As soon as the door was closed again, his placid expression lit up in a grin. "You almost fooled me! You said all that stuff the other week to get me to go away, didn't you? You really still like me."

Azula walked right past him. "Uncle has been filing your head with romantic delusions, I see."

"Keep telling yourself that, Princess."

Uncle Iroh himself was waiting for her in his receiving room, seated at a low table. "Ah, Niece, so good of you to join me. I'm not going to insult you by pretending to be disinterested in your place with the Red Lotus, but I really do intend to match you up with a tea before you leave." He smiled pleasantly and motioned at the full service before him; the pot was already being heated.

Azula kneeled at the table's opposite side. "I can't say I like tea, Uncle. It seems I have a tendency to associate it with weakness and failure."

He laughed. "Then I can see that my talents are needed here. Sokka, sit down. No need to act like a servant around your lovely friend, here."

In a flash, Sokka was seated at the table, right between Azula and Uncle. At least he had put a shirt on. "So, Azula," he said. "I hear you're part of this Red Lotus club. That's a really great name for a conspiracy inside the Fire Nation. Are you going to overthrow Azulon? Because I'm totally on board with that."

Azula ignored him and accepted the teacup Uncle passed to her. She sipped at it, and then placed it down on the table. "Bitter."

Uncle moved to his box of leaves and began searching through it.

Sokka snagged the teacup for himself and took his own swig from it. "Ew, that is pretty bitter. Anyway, if you're not going to tell us your plan, maybe you can just talk a little bit more about your friends in your little club. Is Jeong-Jeong still crazy?" At Azula's silence, he leaned forward on the table and stuck his face in hers. "Don't make me tickle you. I know all your secret spots."

Azula used her special Firebending technique to keep the blush off her face as Uncle passed her another teacup. She did _not_ approve of the way he was raising his eyebrows at her. After sipping the latest cup, she said, "I don't like fruit flavors in my tea. Especially not whatever that is." She handed it over to Sokka.

He chugged the tea down. "Hm, I think that's mango."

Uncle poured more hot water into yet another teacup, and then placed some new leaves in it to steep. While they waited, he met Azula's eyes with a look that was sharper than he normally turned on her. "Your silence says more than you think, Niece. I know you received instructions from the Red Lotus, and you in turn have likely been told of my own White Lotus connections. Jeong-Jeong would not have broken from us if he did not know and disapprove of our plan to put me on the throne. Your own refusal to work with me says that you already know that the Red Lotus Agenda is not something I would support, and yet it is still something that would work against the Fire Lord. So it is either something against my own morals, or something self-destructive that I would feel compelled as your family to stop."

The old general looked at the teacup and, apparently satisfied with its color, passed it over to Azula. As she sipped, he continued, "The fact that you won't tell Sokka, either, indicates to me that the latter assumption is correct, and perhaps the former as well. Certainly, in our time together, Sokka has proven to be a fine young man who I would be proud to have as family, and despite his antipathy for our Nation, there are indeed some lines he still will not cross in opposing it. I have to say, I'm quite impressed with your taste in boyfriends."

She nearly choked on her tea. Once she was done coughing, Azula turned to Sokka and shrieked, "You discussed _our kiss_ with him?"

Sokka blinked. "Actually, no."

Azula used her anti-blush Firebending technique again and took a long pull at her tea. Uncle, of course, just laughed. "I have eyes, Niece, and have lived a full life. And I would like you to do the same. Please, trust in the people who care for you. Tell us what you can."

She finished the tea and lightly returned the cup to its place. "Trust is what killed my father. That you care for me has little to do with the fact that you both lack the will and power to assist me. Just like you're abandoning Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation now. Just like you, Uncle, couldn't do anything but abandon your will to live when Lu Ten died. I don't care that you gave up on avenging him, but you must understand that I'm not you."

Sokka looked back and forth between her and Iroh, mercifully silent for once. Uncle didn't so much as flinch at the accusations. "Vengeance is no comfort, Niece. I have been a warlord my whole life, since before Lu Ten was even born. Trust me, I know its taste, and do not find it pleasing. The only ones willfully abandoning honor are your allies in the Red Lotus. Sokka's father here should already be preying on the Fire Nation forces meant for Ba Sing Se, with the support of the White Lotus. By eliminating my network here, all that your friends have done is made the fight for Ba Sing Se all the more urgent. Tell me, what plans do you have for the world _after_ your thirst for blood is fulfilled? Revenge is ever a blinding landmark in our lives; the glare obscures everything around it."

"Our plans reach wider than even you can imagine, Uncle." Azula stood, and bowed deeply at the waist. "Thank you for the tea. That last blend was delicious."

Uncle sighed. "It is the Silver Needle white tea. I am pleased I was able to help you in some way."

Azula nodded. "You don't mind if I exit through your bedroom window, do you? I have other obligations tonight." Then she began shedding her robes. Beneath them, she wore one of her training outfits, trim in cut and dark in color. She untied the black silken cord from around her waist, and then walked deeper into Uncle's suite. Sokka followed her into the bedroom and out onto the balcony, and watched as she anchored the cord around the railing. "Azula, why are you doing this? Who cares about revenge? If you have a choice between remembering your hate for your granddad or our friendship, why are you picking the one that's going to hurt you more?"

She leaned against the railing and gave him a pitying look. "I burned the need for happiness out of my heart years ago. You should do the same. You'll be much more capable that way." Then she tipped herself over and out into the night air. The cord that she had wrapped around her right arm went taut and rubbed against the fabric of her sleeve, but the friction was slight and what little heat it generated she was able to absorb. The angle of her fall curved towards the palace tower's wall, and she landed against it easily, bending her legs to absorb the impact without sound. Not looking down, she began descending the wall slowly, holding the cord tight in both hands and letting out only enough slack to progress with each step.

Soon enough, she was on her Grandfather's balcony. She abandoned the cord, almost invisible in the night, and stepped into the Fire Lord's bedroom. She could hear him breathing, asleep and defenseless in his bed, but now was not the time for her to take revenge. There was so much more at stake, and whatever Uncle and his conspiracy of gaming enthusiasts thought, this would not end the war. So she eased her way through the pitch-black room and out into his wider suite.

His office, as expected, had no lock.

Soon enough, she was passing through the bedroom again and out onto the balcony, a stack of papers folded beneath her tunic. The office had been full of top-secret reports, but all that had interested Azula was the stack of blank invitations to Grandfather's anticipated ceremony. While Azula was acting as Master of Ceremonies, the elite of the entire Fire Nation would be gathering as her audience, but only those with an invitation bearing the Fire Lord's seal would be admitted. Azula now had a set of those invitations that needed only to be filled out with names.

When she ascended back to Uncle's balcony, Sokka was still waiting for her, but she marched right past him and out to her own suite of rooms, stopping only to pick up her robes.

* * *

Azula had filled out the invitations that night before going to sleep, but held onto them for a few days just to be sure no one noticed the theft. Then, on the way back from her daily practice session, she stopped in a park where her mother had liked to take Zuko to feed turtleducks, found her Red Lotus contact standing innocuously under a tree, and passed him the papers without even breaking her stride.

That was it, then. She had only to wait for the big day.

The practice at the Temple was still invaluable, of course. Under the direction of the Sages who believed they would be assisting her during the ceremony, Azula learned the intricacies of Lavabending. Naturally, it wasn't _real_Lavabending; only an Avatar could do that, but it was certainly possible for a Firebender of enough skill and power to affect the heat within existing lava, and through a complicated manipulation of that energy, the lava itself could be made to rise and lower, bubble and dance, flow and harden.

Every day she met the Sages in the deepest of the Dragon Catacombs beneath the Temple, and within those natural caverns where lava still flowed freely, she learned.

On the day of Sozin's Comet, while the Fire Army made use of the enhancement to their Firebending halfway around the world, the nobles and military command of the Fire Nation would be gathered in a special stadium on the edge of the Capital Caldera to witness the birth of a new Lava Fountain on the side of the mountain, the beginning of an extension to the island itself. The Fire Nation would be taking its own destiny in its hands at the most fundamental level, shaping its own lands by putting lava where it would cool to solid ground, and starting the process that would someday make the Capital Island into a continent the size of the Earth Kingdom.

Or so the theories went, and thus received the approval of Fire Lord Azulon. Azula hardly cared, even if she was scheduled to be acting as the lead Firebender at the ceremony.

What she was _really_ excited for was the Red Lotus' true plans.

Or rather, she was supposed to be. For some reason, as the day of Sozin's Comet approached, she was afflicted by a burning in her chest, and a lump of ice in her stomach. She tried to spend the whole day before the Comet meditating in her rooms, but tranquility would not come to her. She tried sleeping, tried breaking things, tried simply clearing her mind, but none of it worked. Eventually, she decided to head for the Messenger Hawk Roost and just wait for Jeong-Jeong's confirmation that the plan would be proceeding tomorrow. It didn't matter if the letter was innocuously coded to look like a note from Ty Lee, there was still benefit in making sure no one else handled the message.

Or so she told herself.

At least Grandfather was too busy whipping his court into a frenzy to care where she went. She hadn't seen Sokka or her Uncle since the tea tasting.

The Messenger Hawk Roost serviced the entire Capital City, but there was a small room reserved for the Royal Family's exclusive use, where especially large and fierce hawks were housed. For such an important feature, though, it was still made from the same plain and sturdy wood as the rest of the building, and smelled like bird waste and feathers. Azula couldn't initially decide if it was better to breathe through her nose and deal with the odor, or breathe through her mouth and risk tasting it. Electing to take a third option, she moved out to the balcony and accompanying fresh air. What did it matter if she was spotted? It would all be over, soon.

She hadn't been there half an hour when Sokka arrived. He was still dressed like a barbarian servant, of course, but as Azula examined his chest in the light of the setting sun, it looked to her like his tattoos were more faded than they had been the last time. So they were fakes, then. The confirmation made her happy enough to smile, but she bit down on it. She would only have one chance at this, and couldn't mess it up.

Azula sneered as Sokka moved towards the balcony and said, "What are you doing here? Wait, don't tell me; the smell reminds you of your old family home?"

He just shook his head (his hair whipped so teasingly) and leaned against the balcony railing beside her. "Naw, the kid I've had following you for gold pieces tipped me off that you were here. Uncle Iroh told me to check on a not-real letter he's not really expecting, and I came to see if you remembered that you have a heart, yet. Sounds like not. I can wait, though, if you think it will be soon."

"Wait, who have you had following me?"

"Cute little kid. Told me that her sister is an acrobat for a circus in the colonies. I think she liked playing spy more than the gold."

"...Typical. Well done, savage."

Sokka sighed. "Azula, why are you doing this? I understand that you don't want me involved in whatever it is you're doing here, but why are you trying to be so hurtful? I know you know there's no such thing as a savage."

"Because I enjoy it." She tapped a long, sharp nail on the balcony's rail. "I denied myself too long in that pit you called a village. _This_ is what drives me- the acquisition of power, and inflicting hurts on my enemies. Insults might be petty, but I can kill with a thousand petty barbs what I'm not permitted to light on fire. It just takes more time."

"And that's what I am, an enemy?"

He was certainly a threat, but perhaps not in the way he suspected. Azula knew, of course, how to push him. She had done it in far more playful circumstances for many years before. Just poke at his Water Tribe pride and feelings of inadequacy about living up to his Warrior legacy-

"Of course. You're Water Tribe, and I am once again proper Fire Nation. Tomorrow, my Grandfather will begin a new age for the Fire Nation. Even if your obsessive murderer of a father succeeds in saving Ba Sing Se, it won't end the war. It will only expose the Fire Nation's enemies, so that we can wipe them out bit by bit. Perhaps, in ten years, you will be the last of your kind left. Uncle will have quite a prize in you. What began in this era with your mother will finally be complete. It would be fitting, if your sister was the last to die thanks to your absence, don't you think?"

"You really are a monster," he snarled. "Maybe coming here for you was a big mistake!"

Ah, there it was. The cold in her belly intensified. "Yes, it was. Feel free to leave anytime."

"I-" He slumped profoundly on the railing. In the distance, the last of the sun was slipping below the edge of the caldera. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."

The burning in Azula's chest flared, and she smacked an armored forearm hard against the railing. The metal clank echoed into the air. "_What are you still doing here?_ What do you want?!"

Sokka turned and looked Azula straight in the eyes. "I want to be free of you, the way you are obviously free of me." With a smile growing on his face, he said, "Just tell me how you went from... from the girl I loved... to what you are now, and I'll leave. Forever."

Her breath turned to frost in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, to tell another lie about how she was never the girl he thought he knew, but then-

"Because my heart doesn't really think you have changed. At all." As the starry night sky began its domination of the night, Sokka's softly spoken words floated in the air between them, just loud enough for her to hear and settled as clinging dust within her ears. "When you left, I spent a year thinking you are what you're pretending to be right now: a Fire Nation princess who got too comfortable in a hideaway where she was dragged by her mother, who stayed sharp by playing with the people around her the way a tigerdillos plays with its catches. Seriously, you ever see one of those things bat a meadow vole around? Evil.

"I was mad at you. Really, really mad. I thought our kiss, and your promise not to leave, was just you being as mean as possible. But I was really just hurt from your leaving.

"Soon enough, I realized why you actually did it. It was because we were so similar, but not in one important way. See, you're a princess from the Fire Nation, and I'm just a head-knocker from the South Pole, but otherwise, we're exactly the same. We're both smart people, strange people who can't fit into the slots we're supposed to. We both lost a parent when we were kids, and neither one of us knew about it until after the fact, and I don't think either of us ever really learned what it was all actually about. I think we both suspected that everything was always more about our siblings, even though it hurt us just as much.

"And we both grew up wanting the same completely opposite things. We both wanted our family back, wanted to build over the gap in our lives. But we also wanted to go out and hurt our enemies until they regretted ever hurting us in the first place, just like everyone always taught us. Just like we were always told was the best possible thing we could do with our lives. Except I was willing to admit to myself what I felt for you, so I could get out of that trap. You... I think you were afraid to admit to caring for someone again. So you decided to go for revenge when Jeong-Jeong came calling. And if you changed a few details, it could have been me instead."

He reached over, and took her hands in his own. "But Azula, it's not too late. I'm here for you now, and I'm trying to be enough so that you pick the choice to build something new and good. It doesn't mean we can't still knock some Fire Nation heads, but we can do it for the right reasons, and we don't have to wreck ourselves in the process. Best of all... my favorite part... is that we can do it together. I love you, Azula. I think you love me, too. If you can explain to me why I'm wrong about all of this, then I'll give up. But you can't. I know it."

Azula finally found her voice. "Why?"

Sokka let go of her hands, and reached a finger up to her cheek. When he pulled it back, a tear clung to the tip and glistened in the moonlight. "Because you're crying. I'm not really out of your heart at all."

She snapped her hands up to her face, and realized that he was right. The tears were flowing freely from her eyes. "Sokka-"

Then he leaned over and kissed her, and the burning in her chest turned into the soothing warmth.

* * *

They stayed on the balcony through the night, and not just because going back through the room with the smell of bird mess would have been completely inappropriate for what they were finally sharing. Sokka and Azula just sat on the balcony in each other's arms, luxuriating in being close. There may have been a few kisses, but in the dead of the night, with no one around to witness them, could they be said to really happen? Eventually, the couple fell asleep, snuggled against each other.

That made it harder for Azula to sneak away when she awoke at dawn.

Fortunately, Sokka had only become an even heavier sleeper in the two years since she really knew him last. Azula left him snoring on the balcony, closed the door to the Royal Roost and melted the lock, then passed down into the city. She had work to do.

Jeong-Jeong's confirmation had come for her during the night.

* * *

At the appointed hour, Sozin's Comet sank into the world's atmosphere, turning the sky the color of blood and kindling a never-ending fountain of Chi within the heart of every Firebender on the planet. Dressed in her armor, in the chamber that would lead to the lava-oozing labyrinth below, Azula inhaled sharply and felt like she would burst from all the power she suddenly had access to.

Yes, with this power, she could easily bring the volcano back to life again. She had no doubt.

The Red Lotus arrived precisely on time, but then, that was expected of Master Jeong-Jeong. He led his Firebenders into the chamber with a minimum of noise, just as Azula had warned him to do, for they weren't yet deep enough in the Temple that a disturbance would necessarily go unnoticed. Leaning against the door that closed off the stairs to their target, Azula let Jeong-Jeong come to her before she spoke. "The invitations were accepted?"

Jeong-Jeong, all dressed up like the celebrated Admiral he used to be, nodded. "We had no difficulty infiltrating the Capital or the Temple. The people are gathering above, and have no inkling of our presence. Now, let us go and finish this, at last."

Showtime.

Azula gave a theatrical sigh and drawled, "I'm afraid, Master, that I've been convinced to make a change of plans."

Jeong-Jeong's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

Azula straightened up from her lean and took a step closer to her teacher. "I've decided that the original scheme is inefficient in concept and non-viable in execution. I can feel that your theories are correct and we could use the Comet's power to reactivate the Capital volcano, but I no longer have the desire to kill everyone on the island." Least of all Sokka.

Jeong-Jeong remained silent, but to Azula's trained eyes, he was obviously preparing himself for a fight, setting his breathing into a slightly faster tempo and loosening his body. She knew, from the training he gave her, that his mind was placing layer upon layer of a willingness to fight like armor over vulnerable skin. She had always admired how he was able to bury his natural pacifistic nature for revenge against the Fire Nation. He had planned this suicide mission to destroy the entire ruling class, had trained her so hard that she had cried herself to sleep some nights, and yet it was all because of some innate morality that kept him from serving the Fire Nation in its war of conquest.

And with the Comet's power in both of them, it would have to be a fight to the death in this closed little room. Some of their Red Lotus audience would undoubtedly die, too.

Azula readied her own body for a fight. "It's not that I'm giving up on our ideas," she told him in an even voice. "But after careful consideration, I've decided that I very much want to live instead of perishing in a volcano blast of my own making, and besides that, the White Lotus' original plan to depose Azulon and end the war through my Uncle is perfectly adequate. No need to waste it. Why not simply steal it?"

The rest of the Red Lotus simply watched the confrontation; they might have been suicidal fanatics, but they were still very disciplined. Jeong-Jeong, on the other hand, was shedding more inhibitions with every passing moment. "Coward," he finally said.

Azula shook her head. "No, cowardice was why I was willing to kill myself to destroy everyone who contributed towards my father's death. Cowardice was why I let you talk me into the idea that I had to die to be free of the taint of my Grandfather. I've simply become brave enough to live without my father's long-dead validation, and brave enough to face you." She opened his hands and held them out at her sides, a symbol of peace and defenselessness. "Please, Master, let us work with my Uncle to get rid of Azulon. We have been ill-used by our Nation, but a Princess- any Firebender- accepts difficulty with honor."

Jeong-Jeong made a retching sound in the back of his throat. "What do you know of honor, Betrayer? Stand aside and I will lead the Lavabending efforts myself. Go running to your Uncle, if you wish."

Azula simply smiled and kept her hands out. "We define our own honor, Deserter. I've been trying to teach my brother that since we were children." Then, she took her Inner Fire, the energy that normally fueled her Firebending, and pumped the entirety of the Comet-enhanced Chi into a pair of twin flows right in the muscles of her arms. Moving like lightning, Azula slammed the heel of one palm after another into a rib on each side of Jeong-Jeong's body with pinpoint accuracy. The bones snapped with audible cracks, and all the breath burst out of her old master with a cry of pain. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

Azula lowered her hands and looked down at him. "I've been holding that move back since you first told me that Firebending comes from the breath. That's why warriors should wear armor."

Then she flicked into a Firebending stance and aimed her right hand at the Red Lotus ranks standing stunned in front of her. "_Anyone else care to challenge a Firebender named for Azulon the Scourge?!_ Time to pick a side."

Uncle's voiced sounded from the hallway behind the group: "You don't have to die to erase your burdens. Just by forsaking the Fire Lord, you have repented your previous service to him, and you can honor the White Lotus members you hurt by finishing their jobs for them now. Azula and I may have enough power to deal with all of you, but together under the Comet, we can take the city. I need your help, all of you, and without Jeong-Jeong and Azula, there is nothing more for you to do here. Please, do some good with this power you feel you've been cursed with. You don't need to let your pasts destroy you."

Azula smirked at her former compatriots. She had left Sokka behind to keep him safe, but meeting up with Uncle Iroh this morning and explaining everything had been well worth the time. "Looks like you're all caught between rocks and hot places."

Sokka would have been proud of that line.

Below her, Jeong-Jeong shifted. "Do it," he wheezed. "Help them. Do _not_ waste this day, or the Fire Nation wins."

Chey, who had brought Azula's family to their house back in the old village, was the first to step forward.

* * *

Even with the help of the Red Lotus, it was a difficult fight. The nobles fled at the very beginning of the attack, so all the fighting Firebenders were quickly able to cut loose with the firepower granted to them by the Comet. A good chunk of the city was damaged, but in the end, Azulon the Scourge and his Royal Guard fell to the Dragon of the West, the Princess of the Azure Flame, and the Red Lotus Resistance.

The Messenger Hawk Roost building was undamaged. Some might have called that lucky, but Azula liked to make her own luck. Once the fighting was over, she personally went back to the Royal Roost, melted her way back into the room, and found Sokka sleeping on the floor of the balcony. She crouched over him and blew on his face to wake him up. "Lazy boy," she cooed.

He yawned and beamed up at her. "Oh good, us making out wasn't a dream. Again." Then he blinked, and sat up. "Wait, if it wasn't a dream, you locked me up here all day! I was thinking of jumping off the balcony when all the fire starting wooshing everywhere! Do you know how many bones I could have broken, trying that?!" Without waiting for an answer, he looked up at the still-scarlet sky. "Oh, wow, I had a long nap. Is that the Comet?"

"Yes, it's leaving. What did you do, wear yourself out pounding on the door?"

Sokka gave her a reproachful look. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're on my side again, but I was hoping that would mean we could really be together for your little war, you know? What did I miss?"

Azula wrapped an arm around his bare chest and dragged him away from the balcony. "Nothing important. You weren't really involved, anyway. Now come, Fire Lord Iroh is going to give us a ship. He'll need help putting a final end to the war, and we're only the beginning. Perhaps our parents will finally see the value of an alliance, but if not, there are plenty of warriors in the world. Perhaps we can even find some more of your kinfolk in the South Pole. Before all that, though, we should really wash those tattoos off of you. They're positively barbaric."

Sokka let her lead him down through the Roost in a daze. "I _must_ be dreaming. You back, the war ending, and our team going out to make everything right? Definitely a dream."

"Team? Or something more?"

Sokka smiled down at her. "_Always_ a team, no matter what else happens." They stepped out of the building into the empty streets of the Capital. Above them, the sky was darkening as the sun finally set on the Day of Sozin's Comet.

Azula let out a breath she'd been holding onto for years. "I never thought that would sound so good. But a Princess accepts help with honor, I suppose. You've been a horrible influence on me since the day I first punched you."

To that, he just pulled her into a full-body kiss, and she let him. A blush burst out on her cheeks, and this time, she simply luxuriated in the sensation.

Love was a dish best served warm.

**END**


End file.
